About the Hike:  

Mountain bikers love to ride through the  rolling countryside in the Etla Valley west of Oaxaca. This hike will explore one section of that area. There are actually two parts to  today’s outing — the hike itself, and the bus ride to get there. We are going to take the scenic route to the starting point of the hike, which  entails a rather significant climb from the floor of the Etla Valley to  San Cristobal. The switchbacks on the road and the elevation gain along  the way will give everyone a wonderful view of Oaxaca and its environs.  Just don’t forget to take your motion-sickness pills!  Once over the  top, the bus will snake down the other side of the mountain to the Rio  Jalapilla. Our hike will consist of following the dirt road parallel to  the river downhill through Cienequilla and on to Jalapa del Valle. The  river valley is surprisingly lush year ‘round, and the farms in the area  produce several crops each season. After reaching Jalapa del Valle,  we’ll reboard the bus and take a shorter, less arduous route home. Sack lunch required. Motion sickness alert! The ride to the trailhead for today’s hike may induce dizzyness.

Additional Costs: None

Distance:  8.0 Km (5.0 Mi)  /  Elevation change:  354 M (1161 Ft) downhill & just 79 M (260 Ft) going up   /  Type: point to point  /  Trail:  all dirt road  /  Exposure:  mostly full sun  /  Rating:  easy

Time frame:  9:00 Lending Library  2:30 return to Library.

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