Monterey, California, USA

Grutas de Garcia

Garcia Caves

Useful Information

Location:	Camino a Grutas de García, 66020 García, N.L. 9 km from Villa de Garcia, Sierra del Fraile. Northwest of Monterrey. Exipantla (25.849262, -100.523855)
Open:	All year Tue-Sun 9-18. [2024]
Fee:	Adults MXP 50, Children (5-10) MXP 40. Includes funicular ride. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent Coloured Light
Dimension:	T=18 °C.
Guided tours:	Long tour: D=120 min, L=2,000 m. Short tour: D=45 min, L=1,000 m.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Grutas de García, Camino a Grutas de García, 66020 García, N.L., Tel: +52-81-2033-2626.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1843	discovered by a parish priest, father Juan Antonio de SobreVilla.
2003	cable car inaugurated.

Description

Grutas de García was named after the nearby town Villa de Garcia. The cave is reached on a road through the Sierra del Fraile. The car park with shop is 700 m below the cave entrance, and originally the cave was reached by foot on a steep trail. The ascent takes at least an hour, if you are physically fit. If you are fit enough, the trail to the cave is an interesting alternative, as you have a really nice view. The path is well-prepared, and the walk is rather easy, despite the height difference and the typically high temperatures. A possible combination is to ride up and walk down.

Until 2003 there was also a funicular or incline railway running on a single track straight uphill. Two cars were mounted on both ends of a cable, one going up, the other going down, meeting halfway at a short two-lane siding. The funicular had several drawbacks, which made the ride a bit adventurous. The cars started horizontal and ended very steep at the upper station. The seats were slanted, but not the doors, so getting in or out at the upper station was very uncomfortable. These were the reasons the funicular was replaced by an aerial cable way or Teleférico in 2003.

The cable car has a yearly maintenance, so it is closed for some days or longer. If you do not want to walk, you should check if it is running. The cave had its own website some time ago, but it is unfortunately gone. Despite driving there yourself, it's also possible to book day trips from Monterrey to the cave and back. They start Tuesday to Sunday at 10 and take 8 hr. The driving time from Monterrey is a little more than an hour.

There are numerous interesting speleothems in the cave, which unfortunately appear somewhat kitschy due to the coloured lighting. Very interesting is a big rock face showing fossilized plants. Other fossils, like shells, can also be seen.