After living in Zihuatanejo for eight years, we finally discovered the trail leading to La Cueva del Cerro Viejo, a cave perched high above the city with incredible views of the bay.
We had heard rumors about this cave for years, but in all that time we never met anyone who had actually been there. The cave does appear on Google Maps, and after some trial and error—plus a bit of Indiana Jones–style detective work—I eventually felt confident that I had found the right path.
Finding the Trail
The trail begins in the Colonia El Hujal neighborhood, in the same area where Sam’s Club is located.
From there, look for a steep paved road that leads up to a dirt road called Cedro Blanco (White Cedar) near Parque El Calechoso. Along the way you’ll also pass a small brick church that looks like it was built for a congregation of about twenty people.
We initially parked about halfway up the dirt road where there was a small pull-off wide enough for a car. After walking about five minutes, we realized the road opens up again to an even better place to park farther up.
Along this road you’ll notice a small gulch on the right side, which probably fills with water during the rainy season. When we visited in the dry season, the area was full of activity from goats, chickens, and dogs wandering through the trees and rocks.
At the second parking area, the road continues to the left but is blocked to vehicle traffic. From here, the hike really begins.
The Hike to the Cave
Follow the blocked road for about 10–15 minutes. There are several spots along the way where you can stop for a water break and take photos of Zihuatanejo and the bay below.
Before the road ends, keep an eye out for a hard-to-spot trailhead on the left. We actually walked right past it the first time.
Since we were visiting during the dry season, it’s hard to say whether that made the trail easier or harder to spot.
Once you find the trail, there’s a 10–12 minute climb up a fairly steep incline. Good hiking shoes—and possibly a walking stick—are helpful here.
Eventually the trail levels out, and a more relaxed 15-minute walk leads to the entrance of the cave.
Inside the Cave
At first glance, the cave entrance looks surprisingly small, with a narrow opening. But once you step inside, it opens up enough to explore comfortably.
We spent about ten minutes exploring inside, and a flashlight definitely helps.
After checking out the interior, we climbed around and above the cave entrance. From that vantage point we could see all the way to Barra de Potosí, across all of Zihuatanejo, and north past Ixtapa.
The views in every direction were simply incredible.
Hike Details
The hike took us about 45 minutes each way. Getting lost added another 20 minutes to the adventure, bringing our total outing to roughly two and a half hours.
This is the third cave hike we’ve done in the area. While each one has been worth the effort, this one might be my favorite.
The other two hikes are:
- Majahua Cave
- Tiger Cave
Cerro Viejo is the least known of the three, but it offers the best overall views. It also has the most elevation gain, climbing from roughly 200 feet to about 1,400 feet during the hike.
One of the coolest things about this hike is that it takes you to the highest peak of the largest hill surrounding Zihuatanejo.
We’ll definitely be back again.
Hasta luego, Cerro Viejo.
