El Potrero Chico

El Potrero Chico (EPC) is a classic winter sun trip for American and Canadian climbers when it’s cold up north—and as an Australian, it’s the kind of destination that still feels wildly “worth the flight.” Set in the high desert of northern Mexico, the canyon is famous for steep orange-and-grey limestone, friendly vibes, and huge sport multi-pitch walls topping out around 610 m (2,000 ft).

Overview

Just a short drive from Monterrey, EPC has earned international recognition for generally excellent rock quality, consistent grades, and the “big day” feeling you get on long, bolted limestone routes. You can crag single-pitch, but the headline experience is linking long multi-pitch lines under blue skies in mid-winter.

What Makes It Special

Limestone Paradise: The orange and grey limestone is often solid and featured, with everything from technical face climbing to powerful overhangs.

Multi-Pitch Heaven: While single-pitch cragging is great, the real draw is long, bolted multi-pitch climbing. Classics include Time Wave Zero (23 pitches, 5.12a), El Sendero Luminoso (15 pitches, 5.12d), and Yankee Clipper (15 pitches, 5.12a).

Perfect Winter Destination: When it’s too cold to climb further north, EPC typically delivers comfortable climbing temps through winter—warm sunny days and cool nights.

The Scene

The climbing community here is a big part of the trip. You’ll meet climbers from all over the world, swap descent beta, and inevitably end up on taco missions into Hidalgo.

As of the 2025/2026 season, Rancho El Sendero is the place to be for vibes—especially if you’re travelling solo and want a social base. La Posada is also a popular hub with plenty of climbers coming and going.

We’re Australian, and we stayed at El Cubil, which is cheaper and less social, but the closest option to the park entrance. A twin bunk room was about A$46/night (roughly €27 / US$30, depending on exchange rates).

Rest Days

• El Buho Cafe: A super cute local cafe in Hidalgo, run by volunteers, with great coffee and a welcoming community vibe. See El Buho Cafe.
• Hot springs: The Termas de San Joaquin (Termas de la Azufrosa) are a fun rest-day mission—expect very hot water. See Termas de San Joaquin Hot Springs.
• Pool day: If you’re staying elsewhere, ask about day entry for the pools at Rancho or La Posada—perfect for an easy recovery day.

Getting Started

EPC is a friendly place to learn, but it’s still serious multi-pitch terrain—be comfortable with long days, transitions, and efficient systems before you commit to the bigger walls.

Start with good limestone warmups in Virgin Canyon, then work up to easier multi-pitches like The Squirrels and Estrellita before stepping onto the longer classics.

Be aware that there can be chossy sections and lots of rockfall in places—especially around the Christmas/New Year period when the canyon is busy. Wear helmets, manage spacing between parties, and be conservative with route choice and descent timing.