About the Hike:  

Mountain bikers intent on an exciting full day of downhill riding can’t  do better than to shuttle up to La Cumbre and then make their way back  down to Oaxaca on mountain logging roads and the Mil Rios Trail. This  route covers 32.9 miles (52.9 kms) with a total descent of over 5700  feet (1737 meters). That is way too far and much too steep for our  hiking group. But we can take full advantage of the lowest part of the  run located not far from Tlalixtac, which makes for a very satisfying  day trek.

The Mil Rios Trail runs 9 miles (14.5 kms)  from high in the Sierra Norte near the village of La Neveria down to Tlalixtac in the Tlacolula valley, dropping 3768 feet (1148 meters)  along the way. Today’s hike will cover just 3.0 miles of that distance  (6.0 miles round trip) along the lowest part of the trail, which we will  access just a few miles from Tlalixtac. This will be a moderate hike,  using first the service road going to five small dams strung along the  creek, then a hiking and biking trail going further up the valley.  The  trail will gain just 716 feet (218 meters) in elevation going to our  turnaround point. The most challenging feature will be the fourteen  creek crossings we will encounter going each direction – though these  will be easy enough if the creek has little water in it.

Distance:  9.6 Kms (6.0 Mi)  /   Elevation gain: 218 M (716 Ft)  /  Type:  out & back  /  Trail:   dirt road and forest footpath  /  Exposure: 50/50 mix of sun and shade   /  Rating:  moderate  /  Suggestion:  hiking pole(s) may help with creek  crossings

Additional Costs:  We will stop for lunch after the hike at one of the pleasant restaurants clustered around the two presas in Huayapam. (not included in ticket fee)

Time frame:  9:00am Lending Library  -  3:00pm return Lending Library.