Cerro de la Bufa

Cerro de la Bufa is the mountain that rises southeast of San Sebastián del Oeste, and its summit, at a little over 2,400 meters, is the best viewpoint in this part of the Sierra Madre. Mornings here often start with a sea of clouds filling the valleys below; when it clears, you can follow the forested ridges all the way to the coast and, on the best days, make out Banderas Bay and Puerto Vallarta.

The way up passes through Real Alto, one of the oldest mining settlements in the area. Its church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario del Real Alto dates from the 17th and 18th centuries and keeps a carved wooden altarpiece and a Virgin of the Rosary that is still much venerated in the region. Silver and gold mining brought the Spanish to these mountains, and old workings and ruins dot the slopes around San Sebastián.

Above Real Alto the track climbs through pine and oak forest to the bare summit rocks. The trip is a classic half-day outing from San Sebastián, usually by ATV or high-clearance vehicle, and the cold and wind at the top come as a surprise to many visitors, so bring warm layers.