Laguna de Sanchez Trail : Mountain Biking : MBPost

A valley ringed by mountains

A nice afternoon ride around a dry lake bed sarrounded by mountains. Altitude varies from 6,000' to 6,500' on a rolling double track.

Trail Description

Leaving from the village of Laguna de Sanchez, NL, Mexico, one can go to the north-east through the village following the main road (most traveled dirt road.)

After leaving the town you will be on a dirt road on the north side going around the lake bed which is used for farming.

As you go on east there will be several smaller roads branching off, some uphill and ending at some farm houses, and others going downhill to the fields. After about a mile, there will be a fork in the road with the right hand side going off across the lake bed and the left one going up a steep slope that has been paved with cement just to past the top of the hill. To make a short circle go to the right and cross the lake bed and return on the south side.
If you continue to the left the road goes up the cement paved slope for about 100 yards and curves back east, going back downhill for a short distance. As you progress east the road gets smaller until it is not much more than a double track.

When you have reached the forested slopes of the mountain named "Cerro del Muerto" there will be another smaller village where you will have to watch for a track going south across the face of the mountain. Stay on this track as it goes up and down for about another mile and you will come to another fork in the road. The left fork turns south-east and goes up over the south shoulder of Cerro del Muerto and the right fork turns back west to complete the circuit of the valley. As you return to the village of Laguna de Sanchez, you will pass several streams coming from springs further up the mountain. Just before getting back to Laguna de Sanchez, you will pass the community threshing floor and the school. Go up past the school and turn back north up over the hill past the church and arrive at the center of the village to complete the circuit

Getting There

To get to Laguna de Sanchez from Monterey NL, go south-east on highway 85 for about 40 miles until the town of El Cercado. About ½ mile after the main square turn right on the road going to Cascada Cola de Cabillo (horse tail falls). Continue up this road for 40 KM or 25 miles. You will be going up almost all the time. You will pass through the village of La Cienega de Gonzalez at about 12 miles. Keep on the main road through San Juan Bautista canion past the Saltillo cutoff and wind up to Laguna de Sanchez. The road goes from about an altitude of 1,700’ to over 6,000’ The drive is will worth it.

When to Bike

Due to the high altitude, this trail can be run almost any time of the year. However, it can be very cold during the months of December-February.

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