RANCHO LA MESA - PATZCUARO
I think we may have posted about Rancho La Mesa in Patzcuaro previously. I also think someone else posted about it recently. I thought I might try to clarify a few things for anyone planning to visit Patzcuaro and who might be considering Rancho La Mesa.
DO NOT FOLLOW YOUR GPS – unless you can enter the coordinates I will try to provide. The road into RLM does not seem to appear on any maps we can find. There is a bridge over MX 14D into RLM but even though it is on a major road the bridge does not show on maps. There is a dirt road between RLM and Patzcuaro that can be driven in a car but probably not an RV. We have seen trucks come up that road from town and town people drive up and down to visit the restaurant at RLM. The garbage truck just came up the road.
The Church book Guide the Mexico Camping does explain the procedure but things have changed. A recent post on this forum explained there is now a concrete divider on 120 so you cannot turn left from that road into the RLM access road – you have to continue up the road a bit where you can make a Retorno (U-Turn). This is a 4 lane road with wide shoulders so there is room for larger RVs to move to the right shoulder and then swing the wide Retorno after waiting for an opening in traffic. There is even enough room for a caravan to have all vehicles start pulling to the right as you pass the entrance to the RLM access road as you head up the hill to the Retorno. There is a big sign for RLM on the right side of the road almost by the access road with a couple of ostriches on the sign – but the sign is starting to get warn and faded.
Here is a route track I did using Microsoft Streets & Trips with the blue line showing the track up and back and then into RLM going over 14D – the road may look like a road to nowhere but it does eventually get to RLM.
TURN TO RANCHO LA MESA
A PHOTO OF THE U-TURN RETORNO
Once turned into the RLM access road you can pull up a ways and if you need to unhook toads or whatever the road is plenty wide enough. The road over the bridge is steep and narrow so we always unhook our toad down here.
A PHOTO OF THE BUMPY ROAD
After a few bumps and turns you should find the entrance gate into RLM. The gate is a bit narrow but plenty high. One problem is to get to the RV parking area you need to make an immediate left after passing through the gate – DO NOT take the road toward the buildings ahead unless you have a smaller RV that can easily back up.
ENTRANCE GATE
Here is a map showing the Patzcuaro area including Centro and even the Villa Patzcuaro RV Park and Campground – shows the relationship of RLM to downtown area.
PATZCUARO SHOWING VILLA PATZCUARO
When we go into town we have found a parking place very near Centro and the Main Plaza that has worked for us every time we have been here. Taking the road into town from near 14D you will come to a green overhead sign that I think says CENTRO and LERINS – but the street does not look like it might work – but it does. After bumps and bends it opens up to a wide area just before centro. It is very close to ONCE PATIOS – (11 Patios) which is a well known and great place to see local artisans at work. There is a walkway that appears on the map as Madrigal de las Torres – this will take you to Once Patios and then on to the main plaza. You can walk all over centro from here to see much of what is happening.
PARKING NEAR CENTRO FROM RANCHO LA MESA
We like RLM mainly because we are big. But we love the view and find it to possibly be the best view from an RV park anywhere in Mexico – depending of course on the type of view you might enjoy. This one shows the fog just dissipating to the left of the island of Janitzio (since we are at 7,500 feet above sea level the fog may actually be clouds. Of course this view changes as the day goes by and the sunlight angle moves on.
VIEW FROM RANCHO LA MESA
JANITZIO FROM RANCHO LA MESA
DO NOT FOLLOW YOUR GPS – unless you can enter the coordinates I will try to provide. The road into RLM does not seem to appear on any maps we can find. There is a bridge over MX 14D into RLM but even though it is on a major road the bridge does not show on maps. There is a dirt road between RLM and Patzcuaro that can be driven in a car but probably not an RV. We have seen trucks come up that road from town and town people drive up and down to visit the restaurant at RLM. The garbage truck just came up the road.
The Church book Guide the Mexico Camping does explain the procedure but things have changed. A recent post on this forum explained there is now a concrete divider on 120 so you cannot turn left from that road into the RLM access road – you have to continue up the road a bit where you can make a Retorno (U-Turn). This is a 4 lane road with wide shoulders so there is room for larger RVs to move to the right shoulder and then swing the wide Retorno after waiting for an opening in traffic. There is even enough room for a caravan to have all vehicles start pulling to the right as you pass the entrance to the RLM access road as you head up the hill to the Retorno. There is a big sign for RLM on the right side of the road almost by the access road with a couple of ostriches on the sign – but the sign is starting to get warn and faded.
Here is a route track I did using Microsoft Streets & Trips with the blue line showing the track up and back and then into RLM going over 14D – the road may look like a road to nowhere but it does eventually get to RLM.
TURN TO RANCHO LA MESA
A PHOTO OF THE U-TURN RETORNO
Once turned into the RLM access road you can pull up a ways and if you need to unhook toads or whatever the road is plenty wide enough. The road over the bridge is steep and narrow so we always unhook our toad down here.
A PHOTO OF THE BUMPY ROAD
After a few bumps and turns you should find the entrance gate into RLM. The gate is a bit narrow but plenty high. One problem is to get to the RV parking area you need to make an immediate left after passing through the gate – DO NOT take the road toward the buildings ahead unless you have a smaller RV that can easily back up.
ENTRANCE GATE
Here is a map showing the Patzcuaro area including Centro and even the Villa Patzcuaro RV Park and Campground – shows the relationship of RLM to downtown area.
PATZCUARO SHOWING VILLA PATZCUARO
When we go into town we have found a parking place very near Centro and the Main Plaza that has worked for us every time we have been here. Taking the road into town from near 14D you will come to a green overhead sign that I think says CENTRO and LERINS – but the street does not look like it might work – but it does. After bumps and bends it opens up to a wide area just before centro. It is very close to ONCE PATIOS – (11 Patios) which is a well known and great place to see local artisans at work. There is a walkway that appears on the map as Madrigal de las Torres – this will take you to Once Patios and then on to the main plaza. You can walk all over centro from here to see much of what is happening.
PARKING NEAR CENTRO FROM RANCHO LA MESA
We like RLM mainly because we are big. But we love the view and find it to possibly be the best view from an RV park anywhere in Mexico – depending of course on the type of view you might enjoy. This one shows the fog just dissipating to the left of the island of Janitzio (since we are at 7,500 feet above sea level the fog may actually be clouds. Of course this view changes as the day goes by and the sunlight angle moves on.
VIEW FROM RANCHO LA MESA
JANITZIO FROM RANCHO LA MESA
