Cuatro Ciénegas is a city and municipality in the northern state of Coahuila. It is located in the state's desert region. Cuatro Ciénegas is Spanish for “four marshes": the name was chosen by the first settlers because of the natural springs in the vicinity that create extensive areas of wetland and lakes. Cuatro Cienegas is one of the only two biological reserves in Mexico, along with Laguna de Términos, in Campeche. The biological reserves are small ecosystems with unique fauna and flora that are highly protected by local authorities. Recently, NASA stated that the biological reserve of Cuatro Ciénegas could have strong links to discovering life on Mars since the adaptability of bioforms in the region was unique in the world.

Tourist Offices
The tourist information office is on Juárez, it’s open from 9.30am – 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and they can give you a map to help you reach the reserve.

Getting there
There are regular buses from Monclova, Saltillo, Torreón and Piedras Negras.