Stand on the Plaza Juárez in the late afternoon and you can watch Zumpango move at its own pace: vendors packing up, families crossing toward the parish church, the light coming off the water at Lake Zumpango a short way out of the centre. This is a working municipality at the northern edge of the Valley of Mexico, not a polished resort town, and it rewards a visitor who is content to walk, eat, and look.
It suits travellers passing through the Mexico City metropolitan area, people arriving or departing from Felipe Ángeles International Airport, and anyone curious about the last of the five lakes that once covered the valley. The lake is semi artificial, refilled through drainage canals, and its water quality is poor, so plan for the climate and the vegetation rather than for swimming.
1. Lake Zumpango
Lake Zumpango is the last of the five interconnected lakes that covered much of the Valley of Mexico in the pre Hispanic period, and it extends over 2,000 hectares into neighbouring municipalities. It disappeared entirely in 1975 after centuries of drainage and over pumping, then was brought back as a water regulator fed by the Canal del Desague. In winter, about fifty migratory species arrive, most commonly pelicans, ducks, storks and sea gulls.
Go in the winter months for the birds, and treat the lake as a place to look at rather than to enter. Boating excursions exist, but the boats are old and lacking safety equipment, and accidents have occurred, so weigh that carefully. The lake draws weekend visitors for its good climate and abundant local vegetation despite the poor water quality.
2. Plaza Juárez
Plaza Juárez is one of the central public spaces of Zumpango de Ocampo and a natural starting point for a walk through the town. Use it to get your bearings, then branch out to the surrounding streets.
Pair it with the Plaza Cívica Bo. San Juan, which is a short walk away in the San Juan neighbourhood, and come in the late afternoon when the light is soft and the square is busiest.
3. Iglesia de San Miguel
The Iglesia de San Miguel is the parish church of the San Miguel area and the most prominent religious building in the centre. Its position next to the Parque de San Miguel makes it easy to combine a visit with a walk in the surrounding streets.
Visit in the morning, when the church is most likely to be open for services, and remember that this is an active place of worship rather than a monument.
4. Parque de San Miguel
The Parque de San Miguel is the green space beside the Iglesia de San Miguel, and it functions as the everyday sitting-out place for the surrounding colonia. It is worth your time as a pause between the church and the rest of the centre.
Combine it directly with the Iglesia de San Miguel, since the two sit together, and with the Arcotecho de San Miguel if you are walking the San Miguel side of town.
5. Plaza Cívica Bo. San Juan
The Plaza Cívica Bo. San Juan is a civic square in the San Juan neighbourhood, used for gatherings and everyday town life. It is a good second square to visit after Plaza Juárez, and it gives you a sense of how the centre is made up of distinct barrios.
Walk between the two plazas rather than taking a vehicle, and go in the late afternoon or early evening when the square is in use.
6. PARQUE RECREATIVO WENCESLAO LABRA
The Parque Recreativo Wenceslao Labra is a recreational park in the municipality, named for the local leader who worked to establish commonly owned lands, or ejidos, in the area after the Mexican Revolution. It is the place to go for open space and a longer walk away from the immediate centre.
Bring water and sun protection, since the climate is temperate but the warmest months from April to June can reach 31C, and the strongest winds come from the north in February.
7. Arcotecho de San Miguel
The Arcotecho de San Miguel is a covered park space in the San Miguel area, the kind of structure that shelters local sport and community events from sun and rain. It is a modest stop, but it completes the San Miguel cluster alongside the church and the park.
Visit it as part of a single walk that takes in the Iglesia de San Miguel and the Parque de San Miguel, all in the same neighbourhood.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the Iglesia de San Miguel, then walk through the adjoining Parque de San Miguel and on to the Arcotecho de San Miguel. This gives you the San Miguel side of the centre while the day is cool.
Afternoon. Move to Plaza Juárez and the Plaza Cívica Bo. San Juan, walking between them to see how the centre is laid out. If you have time and transport, continue to the PARQUE RECREATIVO WENCESLAO LABRA for a longer walk in open space.
Evening. Finish at Lake Zumpango, which is at its best in the late light and, in winter, at its busiest with migratory birds. Stay on shore and keep your distance from the water.
When is the best time to visit Lake Zumpango for birds?
Winter, when about fifty migratory species come to the lake. The most commonly seen are pelicans, ducks, storks and sea gulls. Note that the lake's volume drops by half in the dry season.
What is the weather like in Zumpango?
The climate is temperate, with an average annual temperature of 14C. The coldest months are November to March, when temperatures can reach -2.3C, and the warmest are April to June, when they can reach 31C. Most rain falls in June, and hail can fall in May and June during thunderstorms.
Can you swim or take a boat on Lake Zumpango?
Boating excursions are available, but most of the boats are old and lacking safety equipment, and this has led to accidents on the lake including some deaths. The water quality is poor, and the lake receives untreated wastewater and trash, so it is best treated as a place to view from shore.
How do you get to Zumpango?
Zumpango lies directly north of Mexico City within the Greater Mexico City urban area, and it is the location of the Felipe Ángeles International Airport, which opened in 2022 as the second commercial airport serving Greater Mexico City.
Pick your season, pack for cold mornings and strong February winds, and start planning your walk through the plazas, the church and the shore of Lake Zumpango.