Travel Guide Sierra Del Nayar

The Sierra del Nayar is an area of the Sierra Madre Occidental that covers the entire eastern part of the state, bordering the states of Jalisco and Durango, whose mountains regularly exceed 2,000 meters and cover nearly 82% of this vast territory. Wild, rugged and off the beaten track, the Sierra is the cradle of thousand-year-old traditions and the refuge of the Coras, Huichols, Tepehuanos and Mexicaneros ethnic groups. But it is a zone that is not very accessible and visited, both because of the distances, the serpentine roads that join its multiple climates and the almost total absence of infrastructures to welcome travelers. The most accessible area is probably the one located around the Agua Milpa reservoir and dam, especially the community of Potrero de la Milpa, which has small huts to spend the night. The more adventurous can try to enter the area by taking the road from Tepic north to Estación Ruiz (about 60 kilometers); from there, a detour takes you to Mesa del Nayar (ruins of the Franciscan mission), and then with difficulty to Santa Teresa (250 kilometers from Tepic, 8 hours drive), which offers small huts to spend the night and, if circumstances permit, to learn a little more about the local customs and traditions. For the amateurs: due to the distances and the state of the roads (especially in the rainy season), small planes are available to visit the area from Ixtlan del Rio and Ruiz.