Sierra Madre del Sur · Mexico
Oaxaca to the Pacific
MEX 175Oaxaca de Juárez to San Pedro Pochutla
An extraordinary 260 km traverse of the Sierra Madre del Sur from Oaxaca city, climbing to 2,970 m through cloud forest and pine and dropping canyon after canyon to the Pacific, one of Mexico’s most scenically varied mountain roads.
Leaving Oaxaca (1,600 m) the road rises in sharp curves through agave country past Miahuatlán to a 2,970 m pass near Suchixtepec where the forest turns to high pine. The descent toward Pochutla is relentless, curve after curve through jungle ridges, river canyons and waterfalls, before the Pacific junction at San Pedro Pochutla. Allow a full day; night driving is discouraged.
Scenery
Best seasons
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Oaxaca to the Pacific on the map135.4 mi · point to point
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Character
Higher than 9 in 10 roads in the catalogue.
Corners
busiest around mile 107Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%136.8 – 2,769.6 mFrom the road
Points of interest2 stops
- Altos del GolánViewpoint82 mi in
- Benito JuarezLandmark20 mi in
Hazards
- Narrow two-lane road
- Landslides
- Sharp hairpin curves
- Village speed bumps
- Night driving discouraged
- Seasonal washouts
Sources
“Hwy 175 is one of the most beautiful highways in the world. The highway winds through the Sierra Madre del Sur.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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