Parque la Encantada

Parque la Encantada is the premier city park in the capital district of Zacatecas. It's a recreational and natural space centered around a lake with three islands, and it's rather famously home to a zoo and an aviary. 

The entire park covers some ten hectares and these are covered in pine and eucalyptus forest. The zoo is home to some 180 animals of 40 different species. The most famous are lemurs, spider monkeys, tigers, lions and zebras. Boat rides on the lake and tours on the miniature train are likely the most emblematic activities, but the skating rink takes off during winter months, and especially around Christmas time.

The park was originally named for Amado Nervo, and it was created by the state governor at the beginning of the century. He had a dam built to create the lake downstream from a couple of mine openings and from which the water was flowing. Today the park is free to visitors and offers year-round cultural and educational events. These are concentrated at the Foro del Lago although they may be organized and held at any point within the park grounds or the surrounding area. 

Macuipa

The small mountain to the south of the park is the Cerro del Padre, or Macuipa in the Wixarika (Huichol) language. It's part of a series of sacred peaks and a pilgrimage route that extends northwestward from the Pacific coast in Jalisco to northern San Luis Potosí at Real de Catorce. The indigenous name comes from a spiritual event that takes place during a specific drum movement of the Drum Festival (Tatei Neixa) and this marks the beginning of a period of purification and spiritual preparation within this Huichol Route. The Cerro is considered the Second Gate of the five that mark a pilgrimage route from peak to peak. In 2025, UNESCO declared the entire route a World Heritage Site. It's thus recognized as a biocultural corridor of great historical, spiritual, and environmental value. The next sacred peak is across the city at the Cerro de la Bufa. 

Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.