9 Extreme Sports in Monterrey, Mexico for Thrill Seekers

Monterrey, Mexico is known as the “mountain city”. And with good reason, as the mountainous landscapes in and around the city are full of opportunities to do extreme sports. Get out and venture to give them a try.

Mountain Biking

With over 37 miles of trails, the best place to go on a mountain bike tour is in Chipinque Ecological Park, in the municipality of San Pedro Garza García. Just be careful because some of the trails are also shared with hikers. But what’s great is that there are signs everywhere and first-rate infrastructure: water stations, maps, first aid, etc.

Bouldering, Climbing, and Rappelling: Beginner and Intermediate

Prepare yourself mentally, because Huasteca Canyon will leave you speechless. Its white stone spikes look like the teeth of a saw blade. They are so steep and smooth that they’re perfect for bouldering, climbing, or rappel. Although there’s no shortage of routes for expert climbers, it’s also a great place for beginner and intermediate climbers, as it’s just a few minutes away from downtown Monterrey, in the municipality of Santa Catarina.

Climbing: Intermediate and Advanced

If you’re a pro climber, you can head to Potrero Chico, in the municipality of Hidalgo, some 45 minutes from Monterrey. Its rocky peaks almost 2000 feet high make it one of the best places to climb on the planet. Here is where Alex Honnold, currently thought to be the best climber in the world, filmed a video.

There are so many experts here from all over the world that you’ll hear more English than Spanish. It’s a real international community in a village in northeastern Mexico.

Canyoneering

Imagine traversing a river that cuts through a canyon. You have to navigate rocks, rappel down waterfalls up to 88 feet high —or jump off of them if you’re brave enough— and dive into tunnels, the same way the river water flows. You can go downstream (7 miles) or upstream (approximately 2.5 miles), depending on how long you want to spend there and your level of fitness. One thing’s for sure: Matacanes is one-of-a-kind; there’s no other canyon like it in Mexico.

Water Skiing and Wakeboarding

At Presa de la Boca, in the municipality of Santiago, 25 minutes from Monterrey, you can try out every form of water skiing there is. The two most popular are slalom, where you could reach speeds of up to 62 miles/h, and wakeboarding, where you can jump and do flips.

Wakesurfing

You can also surf at Presa de la Boca! It’s so easy: as you move forward, a boat creates a wave, and you ride it on a surf board. It’s the closest thing there is to being on the sea…right in the middle of the Mexican Sierra Madre mountains.

Paragliding

If you’d rather be in the air than on land or in water, then go flying on a paraglider. From the summits of the municipality of Santiago, you jump off a 4000-feet high slope, considered the highest takeoff point in Mexico.

Bungee

At 230 feet high, equivalent to a 30-story building, Mexico’s highest Bungee jumping spot is also located in Santiago. Located next to one of the state of Nuevo Leon’s most impressive waterfalls, it will serve as inspiration for you to work up the courage before jumping off into the abyss.

Off-Road Motorbiking

There are countless ravines and roads to discover on motorbike, whether you’re looking to check out the desert areas toward the west of the city or the lusher green lands to the east. Rent a motorbike and muster up the courage to go out and explore.

Jeeps and All-Terrain Vehicles

With so many mountains, rivers, and canyons in Monterrey and nearby, you can’t miss out on the Jeeps and all-terrain vehicles. Depending on how long you want to go for, the routes range from just a couple of hours to a whole weekend.