El Charco del Ingenio

El Charco del Ingenio wraps San Miguel's eastern flank in high-desert nature: about a hundred hectares of conservation land climbing from the Las Colonias reservoir up a canyon of the Laja river, run as a botanical garden since 1991 and dedicated principally to Mexican cacti and succulents. The collection is serious - a conservatory and outdoor beds hold hundreds of species, many rescued from development sites, including old giants of biznaga barrel cactus and stately organ pipes - and the setting does the rest: trails cross the dam wall, wind along the gorge rim above pools and waterfalls that run in the rainy months, and pass through mesquite scrub loud with birds at dawn. There is a small wetland, a plaza used for equinox and full-moon ceremonies, sculpture and a cafe with a view over the canyon toward the Parroquia's pink spires. Sunset walks are a San Miguel habit. As an antidote to the town's boutique density, half a morning here rebalances a visit.

What you actually see

• The cactus collections - Mexican succulents by the hundred species.
• The canyon rim - trails above the Laja gorge and its pools.
• The reservoir - dam wall crossing and wetland birds.
• The town view - San Miguel's spires from the heights.

When to go

Early mornings for birds and cool air; October to May for the driest trails, spring for cactus flowers. Full-moon evenings host occasional ceremonies.

Honest expectations

Trails are rocky, exposed and at 2,000 metres - water, hat and decent shoes. The waterfalls only run after rain. It is a conservation reserve, so dogs, bikes and off-trail wandering are restricted.

Nearby

San Miguel's centre and the Fabrica La Aurora galleries lie downhill; Canada de la Virgen's pyramid is half an hour southwest.