The Sierra Madre Occidental – Backdrop to Banderas Bay
Editor-123 asked:
The vast and irresistable expanse of Banderas Bay, largest and deepest of Mexico’s natural bays, is a natural draw for many people who visit Puerto Vallarta; when it’s mid-winter at home, it can be awfully hard to resist the warm, welcoming water of the bay. So folks book a Villa Rental Puerto Vallarta and make plans to spend their daylight hours enjoying the sea and the sun. It’s not until they actually arrive in town that they become aware of the city’s second outstanding geographic feature – the mountain range known as the Sierra Madre Occidental that very nearly meets the beach at this place.
Talk About Diversity …
The Sierra Madre mountain range lies to the east, behind the city of Puerto Vallarta, and extends from the state of Jalisco, in Mexico, northward to the southwestern United States. Biologists and ecologists say the forests of the Sierra Madre are notable for the vast array of unique native species of plants and wildlife found here; birders have a field-day identifying the wild array of indigenous birds in the area. This biological diversity is really no wonder – the second largest mountain range in Mexico extends in elevation from near sea level to 9,800 ft., which means the climate ranges from tropical to temperate.
Once they get to town, it doesn’t take long for visitors to develop an interest in the mountains at their backs. It’s not surprising to learn of all the recreational opportunities available in the Sierra Madre. Hale and hearty souls tie up their hiking boots and head off for a trek on El Nogalito or Los Horcones trails. Those who would rather share the load hire horses and take a trail ride to one of the waterfalls in the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta; although it’s not for everyone, a trip to the falls at Quimixto or Cuale is a genuine delight for some tourists.It should come as no surprise that an environment this rich in natural resources attracts the eye of those who want to make a profit from it. The hardrock mountains are the source of some of the richest silver deposits on Earth, and miners have removed tons of ore from the Sierra Madre (you remember that Bogart movie). Loggers make a living cutting and selling timber from the Sierra Madre; in fact, the World Wildlife Fund reports that most of the original forest has been cut down. And farmers clear land for planting, a process that can lead to dramatic and destructive erosion.
Ecotourism – Gentle on the Forest
So visit the Sierra Madre, but take your conscience and a sack for trash with you. If you pack it in, pack it out, and leave the forest better than you found it. Be gentle on the Sierra Madre; enjoy your visit and do what they say: take only pictures and leave only footprints. When you return to your Villa Puerto Vallarta at the end of the day, you’ll feel better knowing your journey into the forest left a minimal impact.
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The vast and irresistable expanse of Banderas Bay, largest and deepest of Mexico’s natural bays, is a natural draw for many people who visit Puerto Vallarta; when it’s mid-winter at home, it can be awfully hard to resist the warm, welcoming water of the bay. So folks book a Villa Rental Puerto Vallarta and make plans to spend their daylight hours enjoying the sea and the sun. It’s not until they actually arrive in town that they become aware of the city’s second outstanding geographic feature – the mountain range known as the Sierra Madre Occidental that very nearly meets the beach at this place.
Talk About Diversity …
The Sierra Madre mountain range lies to the east, behind the city of Puerto Vallarta, and extends from the state of Jalisco, in Mexico, northward to the southwestern United States. Biologists and ecologists say the forests of the Sierra Madre are notable for the vast array of unique native species of plants and wildlife found here; birders have a field-day identifying the wild array of indigenous birds in the area. This biological diversity is really no wonder – the second largest mountain range in Mexico extends in elevation from near sea level to 9,800 ft., which means the climate ranges from tropical to temperate.
Once they get to town, it doesn’t take long for visitors to develop an interest in the mountains at their backs. It’s not surprising to learn of all the recreational opportunities available in the Sierra Madre. Hale and hearty souls tie up their hiking boots and head off for a trek on El Nogalito or Los Horcones trails. Those who would rather share the load hire horses and take a trail ride to one of the waterfalls in the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta; although it’s not for everyone, a trip to the falls at Quimixto or Cuale is a genuine delight for some tourists.It should come as no surprise that an environment this rich in natural resources attracts the eye of those who want to make a profit from it. The hardrock mountains are the source of some of the richest silver deposits on Earth, and miners have removed tons of ore from the Sierra Madre (you remember that Bogart movie). Loggers make a living cutting and selling timber from the Sierra Madre; in fact, the World Wildlife Fund reports that most of the original forest has been cut down. And farmers clear land for planting, a process that can lead to dramatic and destructive erosion.
Ecotourism – Gentle on the Forest
So visit the Sierra Madre, but take your conscience and a sack for trash with you. If you pack it in, pack it out, and leave the forest better than you found it. Be gentle on the Sierra Madre; enjoy your visit and do what they say: take only pictures and leave only footprints. When you return to your Villa Puerto Vallarta at the end of the day, you’ll feel better knowing your journey into the forest left a minimal impact.