Continuing south along Mexico 1 from Santiago, the next town off the west side of the highway is Miraflores (pop. 3,000), a center for agriculture, leatherwork, and handmade furniture.

Follow the paved access road from the Pemex at Km. 71 about 2.5 kilometers to the town center. You’ll pass a few carnicerias—where the town population seems to congregate on Sunday afternoons—a Tienda Popular minimarket, and several other businesses.

Turn left at the T to find the small plaza, town church, and a couple of eateries. There’s not much for visitors to see here, but Curtiduría Miraflores (Miraflores Tannery, tel. 624/355-0254, 7 A.M.–7 P.M. daily), on the way into town (left side of the road), makes leather saddles and other ranching gear as well as a limited assortment of hats, belts, and purses.

Two annual events in Miraflores would make for an especially festive visit: Fiesta Guadalupana on December 12 and the Miraflores town fiesta on July 20.

A dirt road leaves Miraflores heading northwest to the village of Boca de la Sierra (Mouth of the Sierra), which is located at the entrance to Cañon San Bernardo, an access point for hikes into the sierra. Another dirt road southwest of town goes to Cañon San Pablo, another trail into the mountains. The leather shop is a good place to inquire about hiring a guide for a hike.