Here is an alphabetical list of some of our recommended routes for an outing on a mountain bike. (Sorry, none of these are recommended for a road bike!) Click on the name of any ride to get more information (e.g. description, map, photos) about that particular entry.
Various trails / Mountainous / Moderate to difficult / Distance & elevation vary / Use of a guide highly recommended
Loop ride / Rolling hills / Moderate / 27.6 miles (44.4 kms) / 3202 feet (976 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop ride / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 16.5 miles (26.5 kms) / 1236 feet (377 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Mountains / Very difficult / 65.3 miles (105 kms) / 6140 feet (1871 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 9622 feet (2933 meters)
One way or out & back / Mountains / Very difficult / 29 miles (46.5 kms) one way / High point 9246 feet (2818 meters) / Low point 5020 feet (1530 meters) / Elevation gain of about 6000 feet (1829 meters)
Out & back / Mountains / Moderate / 9.7 miles (15.6 km) / 1861 feet (567 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 7400 feet (2256 meters)
Downhill bike loops / Foothills / Difficult / 3.2 mies (5.1 km) / 946 feet (288 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 5992 feet (1826 meters)
Point to point (Shuttle required) / Mountains / Difficult / 3.9 miles (6.3 kms) / 463 feet (141 meters) uphill & 2240 feet (683 meters) downhill
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 10.3 miles (16.6 km) / 1741 feet (530.6 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point: 7231 feet (220.4 meters) / Lowest point: 6032 feet (1838.5 meters)
Loop / Mountains / Easy / 3.1 miles (5.0 km) / 738 feet (225 meters) gain & loss / Highest elevation: 10,400 feet (3170 meters)
One way / Mountains / Moderate (going downhill) or difficult (riding back up!) / 18.4 miles (29.6 km) one way / Elevation change: 1116 feet (340 meters) uphill & 4530 feet (1381 meters) downhill / Highest elevation point: 10,419 feet (3176 meters)
Out & back / Mountains / Difficult on return leg / 24.1 miles (38.8 km) / Elevation change: 4159 feet (1268 meters) loss & gain / Highest elevation point: 10,419 feet (3176 meters)
Loop / Mountains / Very difficult / 56.3 miles (90.6 km) / 6219 feet (1895 meters) of uphill / 5946 feet (1812 meters) of downhill / Highest elevation point: 9281 feet (2829 meters)
One out & back easy ride – 11.6 miles (18.7 km) / 1150 feet (351 meters) elevation gain & loss / High point 9282 feet (2829 meters)
One way ride back to Oaxaca – 24.4 miles (39.3 km) / descent of 4209 feet (1283 meters) on dirt road and paved highway thru Santa Ines del Monte, Lobera and Zaachila
Loop / Countryside / Easy to Moderate / 21.7 miles (35 kms) / elevation gain & loss of 1164 feet (355 meters) on the loop / Highest point: 5523 feet (1683 meters)
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 33.4 miles (53.7 kms) / elevation gain & loss 1538 feet (469 meters)
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 33.3 miles (53.6 km) / 550 feet (168 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 52.6 miles (84.7 km) / 1541 feet (470 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Mountains / Moderate to difficult / 12.9 miles (20.7 km) / Overall elevation gain & loss around the loop: 2219 feet (676 meters)
Out & back / Foothills / Moderate to difficult / 23.4 miles (37.6 kms) / Elevation gain & loss 1683 feet (513 meters)
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 9.3 miles (14.96 kms) / Elevation gain & loss: 725 feet (221 meters) / Stop at monastery ruins in Cuilapam
Loop / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 25.2 miles (40.6 km) / 1700 feet (518 meters) gain & loss
Loop / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 53 miles ( 85 km) / 1700 feet (398 meters) gain & loss
Round trip / Countryside & mountains / Difficult / 43.3 miles (69.7 km) / 4171 feet (1271.3 meters) climb & descent / High point: 8827 feet (2690 meters)
Out & back / Mountains / Moderate to difficult / 31.5 miles (50.7 km) round trip / 5114 feet (1559 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point: 9950 feet (3033 meters)
Out & back / Steep foothills / Moderate to difficult / 18.2 miles (29.3 km) / elevation gain & loss 3302 feet (1006 meters) / Gradient of 12-15% on some hills
Out & back / Various back roads and trails / Moderate / 13.7 miles (22 kms) / Elevation gain & loss 1956 feet (596 meters
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 50.8 miles (81.75 kms) / 1366 feet (416 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Foothills / Moderate to difficult /11.7 miles (18.8 km) / 2036 feet (620 meters) elevation gain
Loop / Mountains / Moderate / 9.2 miles (14.8 km) / 1585 feet (483 meters) uphill & 1917 feet (584 meters) downhill / Highest point: 7543 feet (2299 meters) in altitude
Loop / Mountains / Moderate / 11.0 miles (17.7 km) / 2119 feet (646 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point: 8556 feet (2608 meters) in altitude / Suggestion: ride loop clockwise for more manageable uphill, with a screamer (9% grade) downhill run
Out & back / Foothills / Moderate to difficult / 27.5 miles (44.25 km) / 2686 feet (818 meters) elevation gain
Round trip / Mountains / Difficult / 30 miles (48 kms) / 3900 feet (1188 meters) elevation gain / significant portion of ride on shoulder of Highway 175 – use caution!
Out & back / Mountains / Moderate / 19.8 miles (32 km) / 3742 feet (1140 meters) elevation gain / Highest elevation point: 9868 feet (3008 meters)
One-way downhill enduro trails / Shuttle required / Multiple trails in La Cumbre eco-tourism park / Trail lengths vary, but generally in 3 km range / Rated moderate to difficult / significant admission fee charged – several hundred pesos
Point to point / Mountains / Moderate / All downhill / 3.45 miles (5.55 km) / 1730 feet (527 meters) drop in altitude / Shuttle required
Point to point / Mountains / Difficult / 21.3 miles (32.3 km) / 2687 feet (819 meters) uphill & 6050 feet (1844 meters) downhill / Highest elevation point: 10512 feet (3204 meters) / Requires shuttle to carry bikes & riders to La Cumbre
Out & back / Mountains / Moderate / 24 miles (38.6 km) / 4200 feet (1280 meters) elevation gain & loss on round trip
Epic point-to-point shuttle ride / Mountains / Difficult / 28.7 miles (46.2 kms) / 2495 feet (760 meters) of climbing & 5995 feet (1827 meters) of downhill / Highest elevation: 9164 feet (2793 meters)
Out & back / Foothills / Moderate / 15.2 miles (24.5 kms) / 1286 feet (392 meters) elevation gain and loss / Can be either a shuttle ride or a long ride from Oaxaca and back.
Out & back / Moderate / 38.6 miles (62.1 kms) / 2467 feet (752 meters) gain & loss in elevation
Loop ride / Countryside / Moderate / 12.5 miles (20.1 kms) / 1477 feet (450 meters) of climbing / Elevation change: low 5178 feet (1578 meters) & high 5994 feet (1827 meters)
Loop / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 36 miles (57.9 kms) / 1518 feet (462.7 meters) elevation gain and loss
Out & back / Mountains / Difficult / 23.4 miles (37.6 km) / 3313 feet (1010 meters) elevation gain / Very steep gravel road from Huayapam to La Cumbre
Another epic point-to-point shuttle ride / Mountains / Difficult / 8.6 miles (13.8 kms) / 9051 feet (2759 meters) elevation at start / 4998 feet (1523 meters) descent
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 30.5 miles (49 km) / 2427 feet (740 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Mountains / Moderate to difficult / 19.6 miles (31.5 km) / 3663 feet (1116.5 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 10321 feet (3146 meters)
Out & back / Mountains / Moderate / 20.5 miles (33.0 km) / 2330 feet (710 meters) elevation gain / Highest elevation point: 10474 feet (3192 meters)
Double loop / Mountains / Moderate to difficult / 10.3 miles (16.6 km) / Elevation gain & loss 1719 feet (524 meters) / Highest point: 10,860 feet (3310 meters) / Lowest spot: 9539 feet (2907 meters) / Steepest downhill grade: 29% / Number of log ramps on trail: 7
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 3.86 miles (6.2 km) / 308 feet (94 meters) elevation gain
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 42.0 miles (67.6 kms) / Little elevation change
Loop ride / Mountain / Moderate to difficult / Shuttle / 22.0 miles (35.4 kms) / Elevation gain & loss 3590 feet (1094 meters) / High point 9258 feet (2822 meters) / Low point 6041 feet (1841 meters) / Average gradient 8% to 12%
Shuttle or loop ride / Mountains / Long and difficult 46.7 miles (75 kms) / Elevation gain & loss of 6060 feet (1847 meters) / High point 9165 feet (2793 meters)
Shuttle or loop ride / Mountains / Long and difficult 45 miles (72 km) / Elevation gain & loss 4700+ feet (1432+ meters)
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 24.2 miles (38.9 km) / 1447 feet (441 meters) elevation gain and loss / multiple shallow stream crossings
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate to difficult (because of distance) / 60.7 miles (97.7 km) / Elevation gain & loss: 1780 feet (542.5 meters) / Highest point: 5594 feet (1705 meters)
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 11.3 miles (18.2 km) / 1463 feet (446 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loops / Mountains / Very Difficult / 45+ miles / 6000+ feet elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Mountains / Moderate / 13 miles (21 kms) / 2000 feet (609 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Foothills / Moderate to Difficult / 15.0 miles (24.1 km) / 1747 feet ( 532.5 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 43 miles (69 km) / 640 feet (195 meters) elevation change on the round trip journey
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 16.2 miles (26.1 km) / 1007 feet (307 meters) elevation gain & loss on round trip
Loop / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 25.5 Miles (41.0 km) / 2844 feet (866.8 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Central valley / Moderate to Difficult / 33.0 miles (53.0 km) / 1877 feet (572 meters) elevation gain & loss around the loop
Loop / Mountains / Very difficult / 48.5 miles (78.0 km) / 7073 feet (2156 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest Point: 10398 feet (2156 meters) / 10 hours ride time
Loop / Countryside / Difficult in places / 36 miles (59 km) / 1682 feet ( 512 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point 6088 feet (1855 meters) / 5 hours ride time
Loop / Mountains / Very difficult / 45.3 miles (72.9 km) / 4902 feet (1494 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest Point: 9388 feet (2861 meters) / 10 hours ride time
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 27 miles (43.5 km) /1900 feet (580 meters) elevation change / 5 hours ride time
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 31.4miles (50.5 km) / 2625 feet (800 meters) elevation change on the round trip journey
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 33 miles (53 kms) / 1388 feet (423 meters) elevation gain & loss / 4.5 hours
Loop / Mountain / Very difficult / 18.0 miles (29.0 km) / 3048 feet (929 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest Point: 7874 feet (2400 meters)
Information about many of the locations around Oaxaca used for mountain bike races – either closed-course loops or point-to-point marathon races – just in case you want to participate as either a rider or a spectator.
Round trip / Countryside & mountains / Difficult / 43.3 miles (69.7 km) / 4171 feet (1271.3 meters) climb & descent / High point: 8827 feet (2690 meters)
Round trip / Countryside / Moderate to Difficult / 50.8 miles (81.75 kms) / 1366 feet (416 meters) climb & descent
One way multi-day ride / Cross country / Difficult / 123 miles (199 km) / 9314 feet (2839 meters) elevation gain
Round trip / Mountains / Difficult / 30 miles (48 kms) / 3900 feet (1188 meters) elevation gain / significant portion of ride on shoulder of Highway 175 – use caution!
Round trip / Countryside / Moderate to Difficult / 38.6 miles (62.1 kms) / 2467 feet (752 meters) elevation gain & loss
Round trip / Countryside / Moderate / 40 miles (64 kms) / 500 feet (152 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 43 miles (69 km) / 640 feet (195 meters) elevation change on the round trip journey
Loop / Countryside / Moderate to Difficult / 63.9 miles (102.8 km) / 3582 feet (1091.8 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Countryside / Moderate to Difficult / 46.6 miles (76.6 km) / 1050 feet (350 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Easy / 23.1 miles (37.2 km) / 1185 feet (361 meters) elevation gain
Loop trail / Countryside / Moderate / 29.1 miles (46.8 km) / 2000 feet (610 meters) elevation change
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 31 miles (45 km) / 2067 feet (630 meters) gain & loss
Loop / Mountains / Difficult / 8.9 miles (14.3 km) / 2034 feet (617 meters) elevation gain & loss / elevation at start: 5757 feet (1755 meters) / highest point: 7097 feet (2163 meters)
Loop / Mountains / Moderate to Difficult / 8.3 miles (13.4 km) / 957 feet (292 meters) elevation gain & loss / highest point: 6897 feet (2102 meters)
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 14.9 miles (24 km) / 1053 feet (321 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 39.7 miles (63.9 km) / 1048 feet (319 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 16.3 miles (26.2 kms) / 1678 feet (511 meters) elevation gain and loss / some steep stretches of road with lots of loose rock / views of Hierve el Aqua from afar / shuttle trip
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 32 miles (51.5 km) / 1425 feet (4223 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Countryside & Foothills / Moderate / 16.6 miles (26.7 kms) / 2675 feet (815 meters) elevation gain & loss on the loop / Highest point: 7226 feet (2202 meters) / Lowest point: 5196 feet (1584 meters)
Loop / Foothills / Difficult / 9.8 miles (15.8 km) / 2482 feet (765.5 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 6906 feet (2105 meters)
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 14.7 mlles (23.6 km) / 2146 feet (654 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 6306 feet (1922 meters)
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 7.9 miles (12.7 km) / 1750 feet (533.4 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 6440 feet (1963 meters)
Several loops / Foothills / Moderate to Difficult / 8.2 miles (13.2 km) / 1418 fee (432 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point: 6209 feet (1892 meters)
Out & back / Mountains / Difficult / 31.0 miles (50.0 km) / 4335 feet (1321 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 8027 feet (2447 meters)
Out & back / Countryside / Easy / 24.2 miles (39 km) / 190 feet (58 meters) gain & loss / 3 hours ride time
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 36.2 miles (58.2 kms) / 535 feet (163 meters) gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 41.5 miles (66.8 km) 1278 feet (389.5 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 46.1 miles (74.2 km) / 2520 feet (768 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Countryside / Easy / 38.2 miles (61.5 kms) / 940 feet (286.5 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 17.2 miles (27.7 km) / 1166 feet (355.4 meters) gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 49.9 miles (80.3 km) / 1815 feet (553 meters) gain & loss
Out & back / Mountains / Very diifficult / 48.5 miles (78 km) / 6326 feet (1928 meters) elevation gain / Highest elevation point: 9283 feet (2829 meters)
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 25.2 miles (40.5 km) / 3370 feet (1027 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Foothills / Moderate to difficult / 12.4 miles (20 km) / 3370 feet (1027 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest elevation point: 6762 feet (2061 meters)
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 8.6 miles (13.8 km) / 1851feet (564 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 9.1 miles (14.6 km) / 2164 feet (660 meters) elevation gain & loss / highest elevation point: 6787 feet (2069 meters)
Loop / Foothills / Moderate / 6.0 miles (9.65 km) / 1002 feet (305 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point: 6000 feet (1829 meters) / Lowest point: 5500 feet (1676 meters)
Combination loop and out-and-back / Foothills / Difficult / 8.1 miles (13.0 km) / 1588 feet (484 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point: 6599 feet (2011.4 meters) / Requires shuttle from Oaxaca to San Pablo and back
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 30.1 miles (48.4 kms) / 2306 feet (703 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 44 miles (70.8 kms) / 1498 feet (456.6 meters) elevation gain
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 43.4 miles (70 kms) / 1796 feet (547 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 41.6 miles (66.9 kms) / 1507 feet (459 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Difficult / 38 miles (61 km) / 3060 feet (932.7 meters) elevation gain & loss
Great circle route / Mountains / Difficult / 55.1 miles (88.7 kms) / 5026 feet (1532 meters) elevation gain and loss. Can be ridden in either direction.
Out & back / Hill country / Moderate / 31 miles (50 km) / elevation gain & loss of about 4200 feet /1280 meters)
Loop / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 28.9 miles (46.5 km) / 1377 feet (419.7 meters) elevation gain
Lollipop loop / Countryside / Moderate / 43.6 miles (70 km) / 1636 feet (499 meters ) elevation gain and loss
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 23.5 miles (37.8 km ) / 1240 feet (378 meters) elevation gain / Has up to 14 stream crossings! You will get wet!
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 25.2 miles / 1240 feet gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 11.7 miles (18.8 kms) / 1621 feet (494 meters) elevation gain & loss / Country roads, farm fields, singletrack and dry wash / High point: 6110 feet (1862 meters)
Loop ride / Countryside / Moderate to difficult / 38.4 miles (62 kms) / 1035 feet (315 meters) vertical gain / Mix of paved and gravel roads (no single track) / High point: 6111 feet (1863 meters)
Loop ride / Mountains / Difficult / 22.2 miles (35.7 kms) / 3290 feet (1003 meters) elevation gain & loss / Mix of paved and dirt roads / High point 7769 feet (2368 meters) / Shuttle required
Loop ride / Countryside / Moderate / 50.2 miles ( 80.6 kms) / 1761 feet (536.8 meters) elevation gain & loss / Mix of paved and gravel roads / Archeological ruins at turnaround point
Out & back rides / Countryside & mountains / Moderate to difficult / 13.5 miles (21.7 km) / elevation gain & loss up to 2563 feet (781 meters) / Ride time 2 to 2.5 hours
Loop ride / Countryside / Moderate / 18.9 miles (30.4 km) / 1772 feet (540 meters) elevation gain and loss on the circuit / High point: 5714 feet (1741.6 meters)
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 34.6 miles (55.7 km) / 1121 feet (342 meters) elevation gain
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 31 miles (50 km) / 1766 feet (538 meters) elevation gain
Loop / Countryside / Moderate / 41 miles (66 km) / 640 feet (195 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 13.7 miles (22.0 km) round trip [ 24.5 miles (39.4 km) if ride starts at Zócalo in Oaxaca ] / 1283 feet (391 meters) elevation gain & loss / Highest point: 6458 feet (1968 meters)
Point to point / Mountains / Moderate to difficult / Downhill all the way / 5.3 miles (8.5 km) one way / 2711 feet (826 meters) loss in elevation / Shuttle required
Out & back / Countryside / Easy / 19.1 miles (30.7 km) / 1063 feet (324 meters) elevation gain
Loop trail / Countryside / Moderate / 16.5 miles (26.5 km) / 1236 feet (377 meters) uphill & 1015 feet (309 meters) downhill
Downhill enduro trail / Mountains / Very steep & difficult / 3.7 miles (6.3 km) / 3752 feet (1143 meters) downhill
Out & back / Countryside / Moderate / 31.4 miles (50.5 kms) / 1505 feet (459 meters) gain & loss
Loop ride / Countryside / Moderate / 23.3 miles (37.5 kms) / 1233 feet (376 meters) elevation gain & loss
Loop ride / Countryside / Moderate / 27.2 miles (44.6 kms) / 925 feet (282 meters) elevation gain & loss
Out & back / Countryside / Easy to moderate / 45 miles (72.5 kms) / 1230 feet (375 meters) elevation gain & loss
Various out & back and loop trails / Hill country / Moderate / Various lengths / Approximate 200 meters (600 feet) elevation change on park trails / 72 kilometers (45 miles) round trip ride from Oaxaca city.
Out & back / Countryside / Easy / 12.4 miles (20.0 km) / 161 feet (49 meters) loss & gain
Got a favorite mountain bike ride of your own — some place to spend the day with friends, or a backcountry valley to spin silently and alone through? If you have any you’d like to share, send an email to gringomex29er@gmail.com. If available, please provide a GPS data file (e.g. GPX, KML). And don’t forget to share your thoughts, suggestions, questions or other helpful info on any of these rides.
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