Huasca de Ocampo (Spanish: ['waska ðe o'kampo] ⓘ) is a town and municipality of the state of Hidalgo in central Mexico.

By the mid 20th century, none of these haciendas were in existence, having been broken up into communal farm lands ( ejido ) and some even fully or partially under lakes created by dams.

While agriculture remains important economically, the area has been promoted as a tourism destination, especially for weekend visitors from Mexico City, with attractions such as canyons, traditional houses, old hacienda facilities and waterfalls.

[1] The town of Huasca became established between the 1760s and 1780s as Pedro Romero de Terreros, the first Count of Regla, developed mining here.

The mines he established along with earlier ones in Pachuca and Real del Monte made him the richest man in the world at the time.

The San Antonio Hacienda is almost completely underwater due to one of the many dams that have been constructed here in the 20th century to store water and to provide electricity.

[4][7] However, the area's popularity tourist destination has led to property disputes between residents and those wishing to purchase or otherwise gain control of land here, especially around the old Santa María Regla hacienda.

[5] (tradition) Some of the structures are decorated with smooth river stones and many of the storefronts and other buildings on the main roads have accents done in rough hewn wood with the bark still attached.

[1][5] The best known artisans in the town are Jesús Chavez Centeno and Luis Escorz who have their shops in the portals north of the main church.

At the market and in the restaurants traditional dishes such as baked trout, cecina, barbacoa, pastes, quesadillas with huitlacoche, pulque bread and fruit wines are available.

On these occasions, it is possible to see traditional dress such as pants and shirts made of manta (natural cotton cloth) which have been embroidered in bright colors.

[1] The municipality extends from the Sierra de Pachuca mountains, where the town is, to over part of a wide, flat valley with lower altitude and warmer temperatures.

These rivers and streams feed 87 natural and dammed bodies of water, which vary in size from a few meters wide a couple of kilometers.

The major fresh water spring is called Ojo de Agua, which is surrounded by large willow and other trees.

[1][9] The municipality is promoted by the Hidalgo state tourism authority as part of the Corredor de la Montaña, or Mountain Corridor.

[2][6] Ecotourism and the local haciendas are the major draws, with activities related to the bodies of water, mountains and canyon areas.

[12] The area's haciendas were mostly built by Pedro Romero de Terreros and they, along with other sites, have been used as sets for movies and television shows.

[5] Terreros built four mining haciendas in this area, at a cost of two million pesos, an incredible sum at the time.

[3] The hacienda extends over twelve hectares of land at the bottom of the canyon (very close to the Prismas Basálticas), and at its height, employed up to 2,000 workers.

[3] Alexander von Humboldt visited Santa María Regla in 1803, making sketches of it, including the Prismas Basálticas which were part of the property at the time.

[3] The facility offers picnic spaces, protected wildlife areas, restaurant, horseback riding, guided tours and ATV rentals.

The hacienda was used in the production of movies such as The Old Gringo, The Mask of Zorro and the Mexican film “Ave María” with Demián Bichir.

Other offerings include a clay tennis court, bar, game room, videorental and a meeting hall that accommodates 160 people.

This ravine area was part of the Santa María Regla Hacienda and was first promoted by Alexander von Humboldt in 1803.

[5] The walls of the canyon, called the Barranca de Alcholoya, are lined by polygonal columns between thirty and fifty meters high with five or six sides.

[5] El Zembo is located seven km from the center of Huasca in a small valley surrounded by high peaks and forests of holm oak and fir.

[9][12] The Peña del Aire is an enormous basalt rock that juts off the side of a canyon just north of the Santa María Regla Hacienda.

Run by María de los Angeles, the museum is dedicated to stories of goblins and similar creatures around the world.

[15] The Museo de los Duendes A large part of its collection of goblin figures include those made from hair from horses’ manes and tails.

[3] El Huariche is an ecotourism development on ejido land located in the community of Oje de Agua, near Santa María Regla.