A couple of mountain bike visitors to Oaxaca were curious to ride two of our favorite trails in the Tlacolula valley – the “Back Way to Tule” and the ride to the presas in the hills above Santo Domingo Tomaltepec – so we combined them in one delightful loop ride. Early spring rains had worked their magic on the countryside, so both farm fields and forested mountainsides were carpeted with bright green foliage. A group of five bikers set out at 9 am on a lovely Thursday morning for this very satisfying excursion. The trail to Tule takes off into the hills from the Rosario neighborhood on the far southeastern corner of Oaxaca city. Getting to the trailhead involves riding for 5.25 miles (8.4 kms) from el centro through a maze of city streets. Then the fun begins! The next 1.8 miles (2.9 kms) is on a rugged jeep road that rises rather steeply 455 vertical feet (139 meters) to the top of a ridge before dropping just as sharply down to the floor of the Tlacolula valley. Riders must keep a wary eye on the trail, as it is littered with a lot of loose rubble which adds challenge to both the climb and the descent. After that, the rest of the ride was a piece of cake! It was an easy and enjoyable tour through Tule and Santo Domingo Tomaltepec and thence up the mountain valley where two reservoirs catch and hold water coursing down from the hills. The ride back to Oaxaca was accomplished by going through Tlalixtac. Moving at a leisurely pace and taking time out to lounge at one of the presas, the group finished the trek in a bit over five hours.
