Sierra Norte to the Gulf of México

Introduction

Whole route is paved, mostly much better than city roads. This is a longer route that could be tackled in two sections if necessary.

Much of the route follows one of México’s major rivers and its tributaries: Río Palaloapam, which reaches the Gulf of México at Alvarado in Veracruz.

Highlights:

Ruta Sierra Juárez (State of Oaxaca)

Camino de Benito Juárez (Federal money, built in partnership with local communities)

Río Papaloapam – One of the largest rivers in México

Los Tuxtlas – Lush rainforest, hidden volcanoes and the Gulf Coast

When to Go

On this trip, it’s all about the rain (see climate charts for Ixtlán, Tuxtepec and Los Tuxtlas below). Especially the part from Mirador Cerro Pelón to Tuxtepec. Arriving at the Mirador, you’re likely to see the clouds coming up from the humid Gulf of México slopes, generally dispersing as they descend again into the dry interior. But as you desecend down those same slopes – draped in incredibly dense tropical rainforest, you’re likely to get drenched. And there’s virtually no shelter until the twin towns of Valle Nacional and Tuxtepec on the Palaloapam plains almost 3,000m below…

The bottom line: If you’re familiar with the climate in Oaxaca de Juárez, it’s easy to image the rest of the state has similar whether. But our advice, especially for the Gulf of México slopes, would be to cycle as close to March as possible, when the rainfall is at its lowest, and before the summer ‘bochornoso’ kicks in. Even then, the average monthly rainfall is around 30mm, which is still ten times the rainfall in Oaxaca. Try your luck June-Sept, and the rainfall is again ten times what it was back in March. Bring your waterproofs!

Climate charts:

• Ixtlán
• Tuxtepec
• San Andrés

Language

Comedor = “Eating Place”. Generally less formal than a ‘Restaurante’.

Laguna = Lake or Lagoon