The village of Cuajimoloyas attracts a number of tourists. Its location high in the Sierra Norte (elevation: 10,398 feet / 3169 meters) is a draw, as are its hiking and biking trails. This short (3.1 mile / 5.0 km) loop trail is not worth driving all the way from Oaxaca city; but if you are already in the neighborhood, it’s worth checking out. Perhaps afterward you will want to take a ride on the community’s zip line, which is the longest and highest in this part of Mexico.
After Monte Alban, the Zapotec ruins in Mitla are the most spectacular and important in the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca state. It is quite feasible for visitors to Oaxaca city to get to Mitla by bicycle. Those who want to get in a full day of exploring archeological sites can stop at Dainzu on the way to Mitla, then check out the palace complex at Yagul on the way back to the capital city. The track below is not complete, but you can probably figure it out and adapt it to help you get to where you want to go.
The 53-mile (85 km) loop ride shown here offers a grand tour of both the Tlacolula and Zimatlan valleys (two of the three of the Valles Centrales that comprised the Zapotec empire in the glory days of Monte Alban and are home to Oaxaca city today). Plan to spend the whole day in the saddle on this scenic adventure!
If you are looking for a splendid, long ride through the countryside on a beautiful day, this adventure just might tickle your imagination. Basically an outing on unpaved backcountry roads, this route will take you from Oaxaca to Diaz Ordaz, with a little lollipop loop at the end that puts you within striking distance of the scenic ruins of the Zapotec palace complex at Yagul, should you care to visit there. Coming in at 49 miles (79 km), this is a long ride, and one with enough rolling terrain to keep things interesting.
The track below shows two routes linking Oaxaca and the charming hill town of San Agustin Etla. The outbound route, which uses the unfinished highway of the Libramiento Norte and a patchwork of back roads, is certainly the more scenic and charming – as well as the more difficult option. The return to Oaxaca, by contrast, follows main roads which are much more crowded and less attractive, but have the virtue of being much more level. The rider is certainly entitled to ride the loop in either direction, or to choose either leg as an out-and-back ride. Any way you slice it, this is a significant urban ride, amounting to 31+ miles (45+ km).