About the Hike:  

In sheer number of participants, our Huayapam hike is one of the most  popular of the season because there are two hikes – one moderate, the  other more challenging (see maps below) – taking place at the same time.  Those wishing a pleasant stroll through the countryside through gently  rolling terrain may opt for the easier hike. People wanting a more  invigorating trek in the hill country nearby should choose the difficult  option. Both hikes cover about the same distance and start and end at  the same time. At the conclusion of both, everyone will rendezvous at  the cluster of restaurants on the shore of one of the lakes nearby for a  pleasant lunch before heading back to Oaxaca.

Additional Costs: Both hiking groups will rendezvous for lunch at one of the pleasant restaurants on the lakeshore (not included in ticket fee)

Difficult option:  On  this, the first of two simultaneous hikes on the same day,  we will  scramble up the steep hillside on the north side of Huayapam on an old  jeep road littered with loose rocks, cross over a ridge, then make a  long, gradual descent to the two lakes which provide water for the towns  of Huayapam and Tlalixtac. The uphill section will certainly challenge  your cardiovascular system! As with the easier outing (below), this is  hiking for its own sake; fun, but with an edge!

Distance:  6.4 Km (4.0 Mi)  /  Elevation change:  232 M (762 Ft) up  & 287 M (943 Ft) down  /  Type:  point to point  /  Trail:  rough jeep road & footpaths  / Exposure:  full sun  /  Rating: difficult

Moderate option:  This  second of two simultaneous hikes originating in Huayapam, a small  village near Oaxaca favored by many resident expats, is a moderate  stroll along dirt roads and single track hiking trails that link with  San Luis Beltran and San Felipe del Agua. There are some pleasant views  of the Oaxaca Valley along the way on this out-and-back walk through  rolling terrain, but nothing of historical or cultural interest. This is  hiking for its own sake. Both hiking groups will rendezvous for lunch  at one of the pleasant restaurants on the lakeshore.

Distance:  6.4 Km (4.0 Mi)  /  Elevation change: 116 meters (381 feet)  gain & loss  /  Type:  out & back  /  Trail:  dirt road &  footpaths  /  Exposure:  full sun  / Rating: moderate

Time frame:  9:00 Lending Library / 10:00 both hikes start from church in Huayapam /  12:00 both hikes end / 12:15 lunch at lakeside restaurants / 1:30 board  buses for return / 2:30 return Lending Library.

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