El Tepozteco National Park
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| El Tepozteco National Park | |
|---|---|
.jpg) El Tepozteco temple | |
  Location of El Tepozteco National Park in Mexico | |
| Location | Morelos and Federal District, Mexico |
| Nearest city | Cuernavaca and Mexico City |
| Coordinates | 18°58′N 99°07′W / 18.967°N 99.117°W[2] |
| Area | 23,258.70 ha (89.8023 sq mi) |
| Designation | National park |
| Designated | 1937 |
| Administrator | National Commission of Natural Protected Areas |
El Tepozteco National Park is a national park in Morelos state of central Mexico. It protects 232.58 km2 in the mountains of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.[1] The park includes El Tepozteco, an archeological site featuring an Aztec temple.
El Tepozteco National Park covers the central portion of the Sierra Chichinautzin, a volcanic field which separates the Valley of Mexico to the north from the Balsas Basin to the south. Chichinautzin Volcano (3490 m), the highest peak in the park, is at the park's northwest corner. The Sierra de Tepoztlán is closer to the center of the park, immediately north of the town of Tepoztlán. The terrain is mostly steep, ranging from 1200 to 3480 meters elevation. The volcanic field is relatively recent – Chichinautzin Volcano's last major eruption was approximately 1800 years ago – and the park's landscape includes cinder cones and lava flows.[3][2]
Most of the park is in the state of Morelos, in Tepoztlán municipality. The northern portion of the park extends into the Federal District. Mexico City lies to the north in the Valley of Mexico, and Cuernavaca is to the south. The park's forests and the porous volcanic deposits that underlie the park are important for replenishing the watersheds and groundwater aquifers which provide fresh water to Mexico City and Cuernavaca.[3]
The park is bounded on the east and west by Flora and Fauna Protection Area Chichinautzin Biological Corridor which is another natural protected area.
Climate
The climate ranges from warm subhumid at lower elevations to temperate subhumid at higher elevations. Mean annual temperature is 18 C or more at lower elevations, 12–18 °C at middle elevations (2400–2800 meters), and 5–12 °C at high elevations. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 800 to 1200 mm, generally higher at higher elevations.[2]