Tierra Colorada

Tierra Colorada is the seat of Juan R. Escudero municipality, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur halfway between Chilpancingo and Acapulco on federal highway 95, which earns it the nickname "gateway to the two coasts". It lies around 290 metres up and had 12,262 residents in 2020, almost half the municipality's 26,000. The name means red earth, after the colour of the soil.

Around 1848-49 this was a hacienda owned by General Juan N. Álvarez, who in 1854 handed out land to his workers, and the town grew from that. It was recognised as a pueblo under Chilpancingo in 1923, and in December 1951 the municipality was created, named after Juan Ranulfo Escudero, a labour leader born in Acapulco. Revolutionary forces fought here in 1913, and in 1927 President Calles had a boulder blown up that blocked the Mexico City-Acapulco road near Garrapatas; the road was finished in 1931.

This is river country. The Omitlán and the Papagayo meet in the La Venta canyon, between reddish limestone walls, where the General Ambrosio Figueroa hydroelectric dam stands. On the Hueyapan stream is La Pinta, a pool with a waterfall and the town's favourite outing, and there are more falls at Tepehuaje, El Zapotal and Apanlázaro. People kayak the rivers and rappel the cliffs.

Local food includes green pipián mole, charcoal-grilled chicken and quail Plan de Lima style, langostino broth and enchiladas de la parada. The Feria Regional Guadalupana runs from 1 to 12 December with processions, bullfights, horse races and fireworks, and festivities bring out the Mojigangas and the Red Devils (charracachinchis) dancers to chile frito brass bands.