Deer Sanctuary--

The trail to the cascade is not difficult, and takes about twenty minutes. Notice in the photo above, the sign saying no dogs allowed.

The boulders are huge, and some have roots of amate trees growing over them.

The stream from the cascade flows into a small man-made pond. The video I've included entices with it's sights and sounds. It was made while walking upstream to the cascade.

Along the trail is a jungle of lush vegetation. There are large amate trees, with their roots magically griping onto boulders. The water gives the trees opportunities to grow in odd shapes and strange ways, enhancing the mystical properties of the place.

The Deer Sanctuary (Santuario de los Venaditos) is a beautiful nature preserve with two main trails--one to a cascade, and the other to an overlook with petroglyphs and a cave. Speaking to a caretaker, I learned that the park was founded ten years ago. The deer are in captivity, in a large fenced in compound, and were not available the day I went there. In ancient days, when the valley was not as densely settled, deer would come to the cascade to drink.

This article is divided into two parts: the trail to the cascade, and the one to the overlook and cave.

Deer Sanctuary, Tepoztlan, Mexico.The signs at the trail head invite us to "respect and look after this natural space."   Photo by Don Karp

Deer Sanctuary, Tepoztlan, Mexico. Pond below the cascade. Photo by Don Karp

Cascade in the Deer Sanctuary, a nature preserve in Tepoztlan, Mexico. Photo by Don Karp

Deer Santuary, Tepoztlan, Mexico. The vegetation forms a lush jungle   on the trail to the cascade.                Photos by Don Karp

Deer Sanctuary,Tepoztlan, Mexico. Trees take on weird forms near the cascade. Photos by Don Karp