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Jalisco’s Highlands hide a wealth of wonders

All five of Mexico’s major ecosystems converge in the state of Jalisco.  And while the beaches, volcanoes and forests may get most of the attention, the semi-arid highlands of Los Altos offer their own quiet drama—sun-drenched ruins, mysterious rock art and sweeping views that stretch for miles.

Discovering the hidden gem of La Cañada

Many years ago, I stumbled upon a hidden pool fed by a cold spring, the source of a bubbling stream of clear, clean water, all shaded by the most magnificent trees imaginable: enormous, stately, ancient Montezuma cypresses—sabinos in Spanish, though still popularly known by their Nahuatl name ahuehuetes, or “old men of the water.”