Lagunillas Hot Springs: A relaxing stop just outside of Troncones

The Lagunillas Hot Springs are located just past the **Troncones exit on Mexican Federal Highway 200, on the right-hand side if you’re driving northwest from Zihuatanejo. From the highway, you’ll drive about a mile down a narrow dirt road that eventually opens into a small parking area.

When we arrived, there were only about four other cars parked there. We had heard that on holidays or busy weekends someone may be stationed in the lot collecting a 100-peso per vehicle entry fee, but during our visit no one was there.

From the parking area, a short walk takes you across a small creek and through a grove of palm trees. Within about two minutes you’ll reach the main hot spring pool.

The Main Hot Spring Pool

The main pool is spacious, with enough room for 10–15 people to spread out comfortably. Sandbags have been placed along one side of the spring to form a natural pool, creating a depth of roughly two feet.

The water temperature can reach over 100°F (about 38°C). In one area of the pool you can actually see the hot water bubbling up from the ground.

Even on a hot day the water felt great—especially while relaxing with a cold beer in hand.

The water itself is cloudy and muddy, and we quickly noticed that many visitors embrace this by covering themselves in the mineral-rich mud for an impromptu natural spa treatment.

A Second, Cooler Pool

After soaking in the main pool, we moved to a second smaller pool located closer to the parking area.

This pool is formed from the runoff of the first spring, which means the water is cooler but still pleasantly warm. The pool is smaller and clearer in color, and like the first one, sandbags have been placed to help form the basin.

It’s a quieter spot and a nice place to cool down slightly after the hotter main pool.

Finishing in the Creek

Our last stop was the small creek that runs through the area.

During the rainy season I imagine this creek is flowing with much more water, but during our dry-season visit the water level was less than a foot deep.

One spot was perfect for relaxing: you could sit on a low-hanging tree branch or a rock with your feet in the water while small minnows swam around, occasionally nibbling at your toes. It felt like the final stage of a natural “fish spa” pedicure.

There was plenty of shade during our visit, and we didn’t encounter any mosquitoes. However, if you stay into the late afternoon, it’s easy to imagine they might start to appear.