Cerro de la Silla

About this place

Cerro de la Silla, Saddle Hill, is a mountain and natural monument in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo León, Mexico, about 9 km southeast of central Monterrey in a straight line. It is the icon of Monterrey and one of the main symbols of the state. The mountain covers 60.5 square kilometres across the municipalities of Guadalupe, Monterrey and Juárez. It has four peaks, the highest being the North Peak at 1,820 metres. The Mexican government declared it a protected natural monument in 1991. Other well-known mountains around it include Cerro de las Mitras and Cerro de Chipinque. The mountain rises abruptly above the city, and its two main peaks with the dip between them form the shape of a saddle, visible from most of Monterrey. Its slopes turn green after rain, and its rock faces look sharp in morning and evening light. Experienced hikers climb to the top on a 5.3 km trail; the ascent is fairly difficult and takes about three hours, and the summit offers a panoramic view of Monterrey. Most visitors simply admire it from the city, and the Paseo Santa Lucía riverwalk is one of the best places to see it. Start the climb early and carry plenty of water.