Track 10, Canyon del Sumidero to Teotitlán del Valle

RideMex, Track 10, Canyon del Sumidero to Teotitlán del Valle 

General information:

Track 10 it 663 kilometers (412 miles), longer than many of the RideMex segments. It goes through vast wilderness areas in Oaxaca and has extreme changes in elevation. It winds its way up and down Sierra Madre mountains starting in Chiapas just outside the capital, Tuxtla Gutierrez. It comes out of the Sumidero National Park, crosses the capital and then winds its way up into the hills on dirt roads before dropping back down to tarmac and winding its way down to the Pacific Coast where it you will be on the Panamerican highway for a bit. At the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (the narrowest section of Mexico between the Golf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean) the track turns back off onto the dirt and then crosses back and for the between pavement and first until it is high in the mountains again on entirely dirt roads. This section between the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and Teotitlan del Valle, right outside of Oaxaca City is very isolated. You will have no cell phone signal. Make sure your bike is working perfectly before you enter this section. The roads are not technically difficult, but there are considerable rises and falls in elevation that repeat themselves over and over again, so your engine will be working hard. You will be at sea level and work your way up to 2,527 meters (8,291 feet). At the steepest part you will rise exactly 2,000 meters (6,583 feet) in 40 kilometers (25 miles). People were so surprised to see us in the small villages that instead of saying hello the first thing out of their mouths would be “What are you doing here?” (Qué hacen aquí?). They didn’t mean it in a bad, territorial way, they just don’t see outsiders. The people throughout this region belong to different indigenous groups and speak Spanish as a second language. Here is an elevation chart for Track 10:

Recommendations:

1. Visit the Sumidero Canyon National Park, it is a particularly deep canyon and striking because of its forests, limestone cliffs and waterfalls. Its sheer size is astonishing and you and walk right up to the edge of the cliffs that cut perpendicularly down to the water 1000 meters (3290 feet) below. You can hire a boat at the entrance to the canyon if you wish to explore it from the bottom. The park doesn’t allow camping.
2. Sima de las Cotorras in Chiapas, Mexico is a must-visit. This massive sinkhole, over 160 meters wide and 140 meters deep, is home to thousands of green parakeets (cotorras) that create a spectacular aerial display at sunrise and sunset. The ride to Sima de las Cotorras is an adventure in itself, with winding dirt roads, rugged jungle trails, and panoramic mountain views that make the journey just as exhilarating as the destination. Riders can explore the rim, rappel into the sinkhole, or enjoy local cuisine at the cliffside restaurant. There are nice cabins close to the restaurant and parking is safe. 
3. The track through the Sierra Madre Mountains of southeastern Oaxaca between the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and Oaxaca City is wild and remote. You will see different indigenous cultures, experience wild topography and different ecosystems. It is not an easy ride, but don’t bypass it! 
4. Right before you come to the city of Mitla the track takes you to Hierve el Agua, so called because the water appears to be boiling as it comes out of the ground. Heavily laden with minerals the water has created beautiful formations at the edge of cliff with a spectacular panoramic view of the surrounding valleys and mountains. If you are too tired to stop, which you may be after the long ride through the mountains, stay in Mitla, get a good night’s rest and then backtrack to explore the site. Try not to visit on Sundays as this is the one day almost all Mexicans have off from work and it will be packed. 
5. Visit the archeological site in Mitla, the elaborate architecture of the site is unique among Mexico’s pre Hispanic sites. 
6. Teotitlán is a Zapotec town that specializes in artisan wool weaving. It is a nice place to spend a day as the town is pretty and very relaxed. The market is a great place to visit from 7:00 am until 1:00 pm. There are many booths with great breakfast items, great fresh coffee, locally made drinks and high quality, but very inexpensive dishes. When in the area one of our favorite things to do is frequent the market early and spend a few hours there socializing and enjoying the food and drinks. There is also great hiking up El Picacho, the hill beside the town, and into the mountains on the north side. You can ride horses or mountain bike as well. On the backside of the town there is a small lake. While the native language is Zapotec, almost all people in town speak Spanish, and many speak English. 

 

Fill up on gasoline/petrol at the following places to avoid any range anxiety:

1. Get gasoline in Tuxtla Gutierrez
2. In Cintalapa at kilometer 174
3. Right past La Venta on highway 200 on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca.
4. Definitely fill up at Ciudad Ixtepec. When you do, depending on what you bike’s range is, you may want to carry extra fuel as you will be heading into the wilds soon. You will go about 250 kilometers with no gas stations. Your bike will not get the best fuel economy due to the steep grades and dirt surfaces. You may however ask for gasoline in local communities as they always have gasoline for sale. Again, it will be regular gasoline, no premium. 
5. There is gasoline in Mitla and on the road to Teotitlán del Valle. If you are continuing on Track 11 make sure you get gas around Teotitlan before heading up into the hills again. 

 

Recommended places to stay:

1. The Sumidero Canyon is right on the edge of Tuxtla Guttierrez, the capital of the state of Chiapas and a city of about half a million. Yet its hotels are just ordinary fair, nothing is wrong with them, but they are not special either, so take your pick! We ended up staying at the Real Avenida Hotel, beside the Holiday Inn Express. Both of these hotels are about a 5 out of 10. They have the basics like internet and parking, but no cultural or historical significance as many of the other hotels on our route have. The Sumidero Canyon National Park doesn’t allow camping. 
2. Stay at the cabins at the Sima de Las Cotorras or camp there. This massive sinkhole, over 160 meters wide and 140 meters deep, is home to thousands of green parakeets (cotorras) that create a spectacular aerial display at sunrise and sunset. There are nice hiking trails and the spot is beautiful, peaceful and safe. 
3. Between the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the central valley of Oaxaca, where Mitla, Teotitlán del Valle and Oaxaca City are located, you will pass through many wild areas where you will see nice places to camp. In Mexico it is best to follow one of two rules: either ask permission to camp or just camp out of sight. People don’t generally care if you camp in the wild spots, but sometimes community members, worried about their own security, will go to see who you are and what you are doing. Once they realize you are a traveller with a motorcycle they will relax and be okay with it. But, to avoid having to explain yourself in the middle of the night, just camp out of sight or get permission up front. If you see a nice spot to camp with a house anywhere nearby, just go and ask if you can camp there, most of the time they will be happy to have you there and will be very hospitable. The first time I crossed Mexico on two wheels, I did it on a bicycle and after months of travel it occurred to me to just ask someone if I could camp in their yard. They were so friendly and happy to have me there that I started doing the same every evening and made good friends in the process. Mexicans are very friendly and want to talk to foreigners so don’t be afraid to ask. 
4. Stay at Casa Regina at kilometer 637 right as you come into Mitla. You will cross over a highway right as you come into the outskirts of Mitla,  while you are still in the countryside. You will see Casa Regina on the left side. At this point you will have a cell phone signal again and can look for it on Google Map if you have any doubts. The rooms are very nice as is the central common area. They have a good restaurant and a pool as well as great views of the surrounding area. You are just a short ride from the Mitla archeological site and still quite close to Hierve El Agua. 

Teotitlan del Valle has two places to stay of particular interest. One is Dixza, a home live-in, cultural experience where you can stay with a Zapotec family, see how they weave their traditional rugs and how they raise their farm animals. Go to https://dixza.com/ to reserve a room via AirBnB or contact them directly. You can also stay at Casa Montagnola.