Northern Michoacan Advice??

[Sideoff]

Hi all -

Anyone available to provide some road & safety advice on northern michoacan by telephone today? I'm in zacatecas and planning my route to Guatemala. It's Saturday jan 19th, i'm leaving Zacatecas tomorrow morning. Some local Mexico city riders said to stay only on the main roads in northern michoacan for safety reasons, which does not sound very fun.

Pm me your number and I'll call!! Thanks!!

Pete

[Sideoff]

Basically I'm trying to find an interesting route on small fun roads that cuts south of Mexico city that gets me to Oaxaca. Doesnt matter if it's dirt or paved, just interesting. Here's what I was thinking:

- I see there are some smal roads that go southeast from uruapan and patzcuaro toward huetamo and ciudad altamarino. Some paved some not. These look enticing??

- Then from there to iguala on main road 61 I guess

- iguala to Chilpancingo

- Chilpancingo to Oaxaca on all small roads

Anyone got an opinion on that route? Advice?

Thanks!!!

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by Sideoff

Basically I'm trying to find an interesting route on small fun roads that cuts south of Mexico city that gets me to Oaxaca. Doesnt matter if it's dirt or paved, just interesting. Here's what I was thinking:

- I see there are some smal roads that go southeast from uruapan and patzcuaro toward huetamo and ciudad altamarino. Some paved some not. These look enticing??

I'd suggest looking at a map first. Uruapan is the opposite direction from DF as Oaxaca and definitely not to the south either. Michoacan is in no way "on the way" from DF to Oaxaca.



Geography aside, the Uruapan/Apatzingan area is also not the first place I'd recommend exploring remote areas solo. I'd take the advice you already have. Michoacan is not the safest part of Mexico.

[tricepilot]

Was just in Michoacán last week. Muy tranquilo.

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

Geography aside, the Uruapan/Apatzingan area is also not the first place I'd recommend exploring remote areas solo. I'd take the advice you already have. Michoacan is not the safest part of Mexico.

Stayed overnight in Apatzingán. Muy tranquilo.

Uruapan was lovely, as always.

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

Stayed overnight in Apatzingán. Muy tranquilo.

Uruapan was lovely, as always.

Yeah, they're both nice towns, but I probably wouldn't go riding down just any dirt road in that area just because it's on a map. I'd stick to the better traveled roads in that area. It's the world capital of meth production along with eastern Jalisco.

[Sideoff]

Awesome, thanks for the input guys. On my map, Uruapan looks to be on a pretty linear southern route around Mexico city from where I am now in Zacatecas. What does DF stand for?

Do you guys happen to know anything about the road from patzcuaro to huetamo? Can't tell if that would qualify as a main road or not. Looks paved on my guia roji. This road goes through yoricostio, las pilas, and erendira. Thanks!!!

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by Sideoff

Awesome, thanks for the input guys. On my map, Uruapan looks to be on a pretty linear southern route around Mexico city from where I am now in Zacatecas. What does DF stand for?

Do you guys happen to know anything about the road from patzcuaro to huetamo? Can't tell if that would qualify as a main road or not. Looks paved on my guia roji. This road goes through yoricostio, las pilas, and erendira. Thanks!!!

Oh AROUND Mexico City. I understood that you want a route FROM Mexico City to Oaxaca by way of Uruapan. That's why I was a little confused. By the way, DF = Distrito Federal = Mexico City. It's what most Mexicans call Mexico City. "Day Effay"

I've never been down that specific road, but yeah, it looks paved. Go for it. Looks nice and twisty.

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

It's the world capital of meth production

That's Detroit

[tricepilot]

While in the Uruapan area do not miss the Tzararacua Falls, Paricutin, or the towns of Pátzcuaro and Santa Clara de Cobre.

[Misery Goat]

Patzcuaro is great, make sure you do the boat ride out to Isla de Janitzio on Lago Patzcuaro.


My memory is a little fuzzy here but I believe this is a dirt road that took me to Tacambaro that will ultimately hook you up with the main road to Huetamo. I don't have my gps tracks in front of me so I'm going off google earth. I'm pretty sure this is the route. Beautiful riding everywhere you go in this area, Michoacan does not suck.



Taxco is worth a visit too if you're heading to Oaxaca.

[Lone Rider]

For backroad opportunities, www.maps-of-mexico.com offers some routes. While not always super accurate and up-to-date, I've found it very useful.

[Sideoff]

Awesome. Thanks again guys! Hey misery goat I met you in I think it was northeast Argentina a few years ago. We hung out with loic from France. Pretty sure it was Argentina. I was on a honda 650. Thanks for the advice!

[Sideoff]

I see the road you're talking about from tacambaro. That's the one I was originally looking at actually but rerouted to the pavement in the interest in staying on main roads. That photo looks sweet though. Maybe I'll just make the call when I get to the intersection.

[GuateRider]

Just spent a few weeks all over Michoacan last November, great riding, good people,delicious food and no problems at all .

Don't miss the carnitas in Quiroga , the best of the world