By J. Noel Espinoza/RioGrandeInfo.com

If you dare to explore again Mexico, you don’t have to go too far deep to enjoy the best of nature.

You can take a quick trip, as I did, during the Memorial Day weekend to Mante, Tamaulipas, and El Naranjo, San Luis Potosi.

Both of these towns offer beautiful natural waterways, the Mante River is the source for El Nacimiento, a natural water lake just a couple of miles from the city. The waters of El Nacimiento are pretty crystal clear. You can see the rocks in some areas but you need to know how to swim, or lease tubes to stay afloat for safety. Entrance to El Nacimiento is just about fifty cents, or half-a-dollar.

By the same token, the waterfalls of the Rio Meco also not far from El Naranjo town has beautiful waterfalls to enjoy and you can also take a swim just a couple of blocks from the falls. The entrance is just about one dollar.

The drive wasn’t too bad. To reach Mante I took Highway 101, a free road. It’s almost the same distance like going from Brownsville to Houston.

To get to El Naranjo, San Luis Potosi, from Mante, take the 85 highway and then the 80 highway. This is where you have to be extra careful since you’ll be traveling a narrow road high through the Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range in northeastern Mexico. The drive is about one-hour-ten minutes.

Of course, in order to get those places it might take a little longer since drivers have to slow down when passing through some small towns, some bumpy stretches, and road repairs.

I will recommend making the trip during the daytime. Even though the roads are safer now than a few years ago, everyone recommends avoiding the night. I was impressed with security. There were a few areas patrolled by federal police and soldiers. I remember about seven or eight years ago, the area was pretty unsafe with criminal gangs sometimes manning sections of the highway. Again, take the trip during the daytime.

So, if you want to experience beautiful natural views with mountains, valleys, and wonderful water spots to enjoy take a weekend trip to La Huasteca, an area that comprises part of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosi, and Veracruz.