General information:
Part 4 of the RideMex route is 629 kilometers (391 miles) and starts at about 3,000 meters (9,842 feet), drops slightly, and then rises up to about 3,600 meters (11,812 feet) on the flanks of the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes. Despite starting in the Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, just 30 kilometers (19 miles) outside of the Mexico City urban area, you will be in the wilds of Mexico so expect dirt roads that will be quite dusty during the dry season between December and May. You will probably find yourself looking at the map wondering how you can be in places that are so wild and desolate when the largest urban conglomeration in the Western Hemisphere is just a one-hour drive away. We wondered the same while creating these routes! The only signs of civilization that you see in many parts is just the glow of the city lights in the night sky and the airplanes taking off and landing at the international airport. Riding up the slopes of the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes though the pine forests on dirt and paved twisties with glimpses of the barren, conical, active, smoking Popocatepetl looming every closer is a magical experience. You are reminded of the awesome power of nature and of how incredibly tiny we are at times. After heading east down the volcano toward Puebla the elevation will gradually drop until you are at 1,170 meters (3834 feet) and then vary between that elevation and 2,000 meters (6,561 feet) for the rest of this Ridemex segment as you move southeast.
The temperature on the route will typically vary between 10 and 35 degrees Celsius (50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit), although if you stay on the volcano it can drop down to -3 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit) at night at the elevation you would motorcycle to. As you ride southeast away from the volcanoes you will leave the high alpine pine forests and the terrain will become much more arid and warmer or hotter depending on the time of year. The hottest time of year are April and May at the end of the dry season. Even though it is hotter it is still quite tolerable as we created this route precisely at the hottest time of year for this area. Pack plenty of water and stay hydrated.
*** The section between San Juan Raya and San Sebastián across the Puebla-Oaxaca state line is a fun twisty dirt lane through the desert. It has a chain across the road right at the state-line. You can ask either the San Juan Raya community or the San Sebastián community to ride out and open the gate (which the San Juan Raya community did willingly for us). If you don't want to get someone from the communities to accompany you to open the chain you can take the 37-kilometer (23 mile) RideMex, Track 4a, Puebla-Oaxaca border-chain bypass.
Recommendations:
- Spend a day at the Apatlaco Ecotourism Park between the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes. It has nice cabins to stay in and nice camping spots. There is a small stream, pond, hiking trails, waterfall and good views. During the day there are small restaurants open with tasty food.
- The RideMex route, being an adventure route doesn’t go into the city of Puebla, but if you want to explore one of Mexico’s big cities it is a straight forward ride into the downtown area where you can explore the cities parks, cathedrals and extensive history. The cemita sandwiches are famous. They are huge and very filling. San Buenaventura Nealtican is the best place on the RideMex route to head down to the city of Puebla. If you do visit the city, we recommend backtracking to this same point to continue south on the route.
- Spend at least a full day in San Juan Raya in the Tehuacan-Cuicatlan Biosphere Reserve. San Juan Raya is in the state of Puebla (Puebla is a city and a state!), right before you cross over into Oaxaca. Raya literally means “the line”. The town is at kilometer 392 on the track. What makes this town stand out is that it is one of the few places in Mexico where you can see real, certified dinosaur tracks in the ancient stone of a riverbed. You will find fossils just lying around in the valleys and hills. The town is a true desert community. It rained the day we arrived there: for the first time in 18 months!!! A flash flood came through the small gorge beside us, so be careful not to camp in a gorge if there is any chance of rain there or anywhere upstream.
- The Cahuatiche Recreation Area, right outside of San Miguel Allende Nuchita, is a beautiful spot on the Mixteco River among the Montezuma Cypress trees. These trees are called Ahuehuetes by the indigenous peoples, which means the elders of the water. This name is very symbolic of what they really are as these trees are often huge and found only where there is water. The water is clean and there are nice swimming holes.
- The Laguna Encantada (Enchanted Lagoon) is a pleasant spot, an oasis in the desert. It is at the very end of the route, just outside of the city of Santiago Juxtlahuaca. There is a deep, cool and crystal clear “ojo de agua”, as they call it in Spanish. It means water-eye and is their name for a spring. There are beautiful Montezuma Cypress trees at the edge of the spring, with nice grassy areas and a small forest. The swimming is good as the water is deep and cool. You can ask for permission to camp there. There are bathrooms and electricity. You may have to go to the police station on the main square of the neighboring town of San Sebastina Tecomaxtlahuaca to get permission, but it is worth the trouble.
Fill up on gasoline/petrol at the following places to avoid any range anxiety:
- At the bottom of the volcanos in San Buenaventura Nealtican.
- Acatlan de Osorio, where the Las Margaritas Hotel is.
- In Santiago Chazumba, right after you cross into Oaxaca from Puebla (after leaving San Juan Raya).
- The gas station at kilometer 617, in San Miguel Tlacotepec, not too long before the Laguna Encantada.
Recommended places to stay:
- Twenty-nine kilometers into the route the track makes a sharp right and goes up a hill along the edge of a field. At the top of this hill, where the track ends to backtrack back down to the main track, there is a good place to camp. There are some big pine trees and you are shielded from view from the main dirt road by the crest of the hill, so it is quiet and peaceful with a good view.
- Right over the Paso de Cortez (Cortez Pass), between Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, you will find the Apatiaco Ecotourism Center. They have nice cabins with chimneys and firewood, hiking paths, a small stream, waterfall and large pond. It is a nice place to spend a day and rest up, enjoy the high altitude pine forests, and explore.
- 180.5 kilometers into the track there is a stream with some large trees in a little valley where you can camp. It is a very arid area, so while the spot is primitive, the water makes this place special. It is right past the tiny town of La Pastoria.
- At kilometer 299 there is a tangent that peels off the main track. It goes to the small city of Acatlan de Osorio. Las Margaritas Hotel seems to be the only nice place to stay in town. It has a pool, which in the heat of this region can be quite nice, a shaded courtyard and nice rooms for very good prices. It is also located right on the main square and has a great view of the beautiful cathedral.
- San Juan Raya has a nice camping area with a pavilion to rest up your tents under, bathrooms and showers. The pavilion is a blessing as the desert sun can be very hot.
- The Cahuatiche Recreational Area, just outside of San Jorge Nuchita, is a great place to camp with a good sized river, great swimming holes and beautiful Montezuma Cypress trees. It is also peaceful and safe with pavilions and outhouses. The track takes you on a tangent to the recreational area.
- The Laguna Encantada (Enchanted Lagoon) is a pleasant spot, an oasis in the desert. It is at the very end of the route, just outside of the city of Santiago Juxtlahuaca. There is a deep, cool and crystal clear “ojo de agua”, as they call it in Spanish. It means water-eye and is their name for a spring. There are beautiful Montezuma Cypress trees at the edge of the spring, with nice grassy areas and a small forest. The swimming is good as the water is deep and cool. You can ask for permission to camp there. There are bathrooms and electricity. You may have to go to the police station on the main square of the neighboring town of San Sebastina Tecomaxtlahuaca to get permission, but it is worth the trouble. If they won’t give you permission directly at the Laguna Encantada (talk to Artemio) to camp there you can take the RideMex, Track 4b, Permission-to-camp-at-Laguna-Encantada tangent. This will take you to the police station where they will give you a small written permission for US $5-10 dollars.
Warnings:
- Pack plenty of water as the last two thirds of the track goes through semi-arid or desert areas.
- Make sure you have extra tubes or plugs and the tools to fix your flats as some areas have very little traffic or cell phone service and help will not be easy to find quickly.
RideMex, Track 4A, Puebla-Oaxaca border-chain bypass
The section between San Juan Raya and San Sebastián across the Puebla-Oaxaca state line is a fun twisty dirt lane through the desert. It has a chain across the road right at the state line. You can ask either the San Juan Raya community or the San Sebastián community to ride out and open the gate (which the San Juan Raya community did willingly for us). If you don't want to get someone from the communities to accompany you to open the chain you can take the 37-kilometer (23 mile) RideMex, Track 4a, Puebla-Oaxaca border-chain bypass.
