Category: Foothills

Here’s another loop ride in the foothills above San Pablo Etla. Similar to Loop 1, but a bit shorter and less strenuous, it utilizes some of the many trails that flow over the hillsides and through the valleys nestled up against the mountains that form the eastern rim of the Etla valley.

You will pedal your way 8.6 miles (13.8 km) around this loop, with your legs and lungs working to accomplish 1851 feet (564 meters) of elevation gain and loss in the process. This ride is rated “Moderate” for physical exertion and technical challenges.

San Pablo Etla is a small village on the northern outskirts of Oaxaca city. Like all the communities abutting the mountains around here, San Pablo lays claim to communal land rising from the town up the neighboring hillsides. In recent years (2008-2012) various people in the village have worked together to create a park on these shared lands. Volunteers have built a visitor’s center with parking lot, observation deck and zip line, along with several miles of hiking and biking trails in the park.

The map below shows a loop ride beginning in San Felipe del Agua going to the mountain park in San Pablo, with the return trip following a different route into downtown Oaxaca and thence up the hill to San Felipe. The outbound segment takes advantage of some of the many trails in the San Felipe bike trail network, gradually working up and over the hills and down into Viguera, where the the Camino Al Seminario leads up and into San Pablo. The return section follows the main highway connecting the various communities in the northern Etla valley with the capital. Obviously, you can ride the entire loop, or pick either half of the route according to your location and desire.

The entire loop runs 25.2 miles (40.5 km) and has an elevation gain & loss of 3370 feet (1027 meters). If you are leaving from central Oaxaca, you will save yourself considerable climbing by avoiding San Felipe and just riding along the highway to San Pablo. However, this way is not as scenic and has a lot of vehicular traffic.

There are many trails in the communal park lands in San Pablo Etla that cry out to be ridden by mountain bikers. Shown below is a track utilizing a couple of these trails to form a loop. This loop ride is rated moderately difficult, both in terms of physical and technical challenges. It will give you a good workout and sharpen your bike handling skills. The ride is 12.4 miles (20 km) long and features an elevation gain / loss of 3370 feet (1027 meters). It is rated “Moderate to Difficult” because of its physical and technical demands.

The start / end point is the home of Carl Silverberg, a gringo who lived in the area for many years and worked hard to build this and other nearby trails. Sadly, Carl moved back to the U.S. in 2015. We miss his leadership and enthusiasm for mountain biking.

There is a user fee to access the park lands, which can be paid at the visitor’s center in the park.