Hoofing It In Oaxaca - Oaxaca Lending Library

San Miguel del Valle is another gateway to the high country of the Sierra Norte mountains. This village is tucked away in a fold of the mountains on the north side of the Tlacolula valley, and can be reached by going north from Tlocolula, through Diaz Ordaz and continuing upvalley. For this outing we will hike the “El Pedimento” trail in the forest at an elevation of 10,000 feet. Be prepared for cooler temperatures and the possibility of fog and drizzle. There is an admission fee of 50 pesos per person to hike on communal land, and local guides must be hired to accompany the group. There will be a lunch stop at a restaurant in Tlacolula on the way back to Oaxaca. Motion sickness alert! The ride to and from the mountains above San Miguel del Valle may induce dizzyness.

Time frame: 9 am to 4:30 pm
Distance: 2.9 Km (1.8 Mi) round trip
Elevation change: 183 M (600 Ft) gain & loss
Type: loop
Trail: forest paths
Exposure: mix of sun and shade
Rating: moderate to difficult – some steep sections at high elevation
Highest point: 3139 meters (10,300 feet)

An hour's stop at Tlacolula on the way back; some went to the restaurant in the market to sample the goat whilst others looked at the Moorish church built in the 1500's.

The city is the main commercial center for the Tlacolula Valley area, and best known for its weekly open air market held on Sundays. This market is one of the oldest, largest and busiest in Oaxaca, mostly selling foodstuffs and other necessities for the many rural people which come into town on this day to shop. The city is also home to a 16th-century Dominican church, whose chapel, the Capilla del Señor de Tlacolula, is known for its ornate Baroque decoration and a crucifix to which have been ascribed many miracles.