Pinar de la Venta, located eight kilometers west of Guadalajara along highway 15, was once an integral part of the sprawling Bosque de la Primavera, but about 40 years ago, it was turned into a Fraccionamiento Campestre (rustic housing development) and today is home to some 300 families. Of course, no one ever informed the animals, birds and invertebrates living in Pinar that they are outside the boundaries of the forest, so it’s not unusual for Pinareños to find the likes of foxes, possums, coatis and ringtails in their back yards, tarantulas, vinegaroons and rattlesnakes on their porches, motmots, cuckoos and “Tequila bats” visiting their bird feeders and gangs of Acorn Woodpeckers stealing peanuts meant for squirrels.
Best of all, there are large swaths of publicly and federally owned land as well as numerous empty lots where nature still runs wild.
Over the years, I have had the privilege and pleasure of wandering along trails through these “undeveloped” areas and one day I asked myself whether it might not be possible to link these paths into a circular route which would allow local people and visitors to hike through this community without setting foot on any of its cobblestone roads.
Well, I can’t say I found a way to entirely avoid walking on paved roads, but eventually I did trace out a three-kilometer loop over carpets of pine needles, past oak trees full of holes (stuffed with acorns by those woodpeckers), through grassy meadows dotted with wildflowers, alongside wonderfully deep barrancas and past easy-to-miss lookout points offering views of majestic hills and even a glimpse of Tequila Volcano in the distance.
This walk is 3.3 kilometers long and takes about an hour and a half if you don’t stop for photos. The route takes you up and down between elevations of 1775 and 1630 meters above sea level, so, yes, you are likely to work up a sweat along the way, but it’s still easy enough for anyone from 7 to 70, as long as they are fairly fit.
You can walk this loop on your own anytime, guided by the Wikiloc app or a GPS (Look for “Vuelta Interior Pinar” on Wikiloc.com) or join me on Sunday, November 23,10:30 a.m. Bring water, bug repellent and a hat. No dogs. Limit 20 people. A donation of 50 pesos per person would be appreciated to keep up the research on new hiking sites. If you want to do the hike or for more information, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 3151-1612.
How to get to Pinar de la Venta from Guadalajara
Take Avenida Vallarta west. Pass the Periférico and continue 10.5 kilometers to the town of La Venta del Astillero. On entering the town you will go over a tope (speed bump). Immediately make a U-turn and go back towards Guadalajara. After just one kilometer you will pass a gas station and Oxxo on your right. Immediately after the Oxxo, turn right through a rectangular arch into Pinar de la Venta. Immediately turn left and park. This is the meeting place.