Where the Monarchs Soar: A Journey to 11,000 Feet

The sun was already high in the sky when our horses and guides stopped in an open meadow. It had been a steep climb, and at altitude, we were grateful for the help of our well-acclimatized mounts. We had reached the wintering grounds of the monarchs at El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary. On foot this time, we entered the forest again, through a well-marked dirt trail. It only took a few steps before we saw the monarchs perched on bushes and fluttering in the puddles left by dried-up streams. Just a few steps more before we truly appreciated the spectacle: thousands of dark, moss-like clumps of monarchs clustered on the branches of the trees within the park.

We had come to the state of Michoacán (west of Mexico City) to witness an annual natural phenomenon. The migration of millions of super-generation monarchs, who fly from Eastern Canada and the Eastern USA to this specific spot in Mexico every year.

With my 11 year old, Markus in tow, this adventure started thanks to my intrepid travel buddy, Karilyn Owen, who seeks out amazing family-friendly experiences with her son every year. When she messages and says “how about we go see the monarchs in Mexico?” my answer is “sure!” When you find a good travel buddy, keep them close.

Before the trip I had no idea we would be going to 11 000 ft. I had no idea there was going to be a very vertical climb involved, but all I knew was that it would surely be an epic adventure. So off we went! I basically had Markus convinced as soon as I mentioned horse back riding. He loves animals of all kinds. After a trip to Grotas Tolontongo, we drove our rental car west to Michoacan, and arrived at Rancho Cumbre Monarcha, our accommodation for the night. This is not an all-inclusive part of Mexico. There is no catering to English speaking tourists. This was small town, Spanish speaking Mexico and my 370 day Duolingo streak was put to good use!

Back in the forest, if not for the steady stream of butterflies arriving and departing from the clusters, a casual glance might mistake their orange and black colors for dead leaves. However, when the sun disappeared behind a cloud, it sparked momentary chaos as thousands of butterflies took to the sky, filling it with their graceful shapes. Their sheer numbers were extraordinary; these Eastern monarchs, which travel from as far as Ontario and Quebec, come to winter in these specific mountains of Michoacán.

Their migration is extraordinary. Upwards of 4000 kilometers (3000 miles) they fly; a super generation that lives up to 6 times longer than other generations, about 7 months, and survives fall and winter.

The monarchs are culturally and spiritually special to Mexicans. According to traditions, they are the souls of their ancestors who are returning to Earth for their annual visit and begin to arrive in conjunction with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). For farmers, they also arrive in time to harvest the corn and are known in the indigenous language as the harvester butterfly.

We watched and photographed for over an hour, silently enjoying their extraordinary numbers. When they erupted from the trees, when a cloud came over the sky, it was almost as if bats had taken to the sky at dusk. A moment with nature that has to be seen to truly understand.

On the steep hike back down, my legs ached, but my heart was full. We had also traveled from Canada just like the monarchs. I glanced at my 11 year old, who had moved on to what we were going to have for lunch, and hoped he would remember this adventure: standing in a forest where the trees breathed butterflies and that his appreciation for nature would last his lifetime.