After the fire, I stayed in Guadalajara for a few months. Initially, I anticipated the car insurance wouldn’t take very long to pay out, but unfortunately, I was wrong. I chose Guadalajara because it was the closest large city near Tequila, where the fire happened. I also felt I’d be able to get reliable internet, a decent price long-term rental that was pet friendly, and if I needed to rent a car or otherwise get myself home, I would have some options. It turns out I was right.

Hiking in Mexico

And as I usually do when I am struggling, I look to get out in nature. I hadn’t done much solo hiking in Mexico, but I looked on Wikiloc for nearby trails. And this is how I found Cerro de la Cruz in Tlajomulco, not too far from where I was staying. I packed more than enough supplies and water, donned my new to me hiking gear that was gifted to me after the fire by friends (thank you so much), and headed out into the hills. The hike was a beautiful one, and I really enjoyed just being able to reset my nervous system in nature. It was just what I needed. Afterward, I explored the town of Tlajomulco and got some food, before finding a moto-taxi (tuk-tuk) home.

More hiking adventures in Guadalajara

I liked it so much there, that I decided to go back a few days later after work. I knew it was a relatively short hike (about 1 hour up and 1 hour down) so I knew I would have time, but I packed my headlamp too just in case.

By coincidence, I ran into one of the same people I had seen the first time I hiked there, and we got to chatting. We later planned some other local hikes including Cerro de Garcia (the tallest mountain in Guadalajara, around 3,000 meters altitude) and Cerro del Avión. It was lucky I made friends with him! He picked me up on his motorcycle and we were able to go to places I wouldn’t have been able to hike without my own transportation, as they were quite remote.

After a few weeks, he headed to the US to work. I was once again in search of hiking friends and new trails. Luckily, I found on Facebook the hiking club called Senpertar and signed up. I loved the group vibe and my new friends and hiked with them almost every Saturday and Sunday for the rest of my time in Guadalajara. I’m still in touch with some of my friends from that group. I hiked some amazing trails that I never would have found or been able to access otherwise and had a great time doing it.

In this hiking video recap, you’ll also see footage from Nevado de Colima. It’s a nearby volcano that I hiked with another group, which I also found on Facebook.

Tips for hiking in Mexico

So that being said, if you’re looking to start hiking in Mexico but don’t know where to start, here are some tips:

1. Use Wikiloc to find trails. If you pay for the pro membership (around $10 per year) you can use offline maps. This way, you can navigate even if you don’t have cell phone service. That way you’ll never get lost!
2. Consider joining a local hiking group. This is usually paid, but around $150-$250 Mexican pesos per hike, depending on the area. A guide will make sure you are safe, know the route, and will help organize. These groups can be found by googling “hiking + name of city” or “senderismo + name of city” on Facebook. You can also ask in the local city Facebook groups for expats.
3. Make sure you have the right gear for the weather, time of year, landscape, etc. Make sure you have plenty of water and electrolytes, sun protection, and emergency supplies. If you are new, going with a guide will be key.

That’s it! Nothing to it but to get out there. I’ve met some amazing people that have become dear friends using the tips above, and I’m so grateful for the wonderful memories I’ve made in nature!