El Terrero to San Antonio Base Camp Trail

The El Terrero to San Antonio Base Camp Trail begins at the ejido checkpoint in El Terrero village, reached by private vehicle or a 4x4 tour from Comala along the Carretera Comala-El Terrero in Colima state. The ejido occasionally requests a small access fee from visitors entering community land; no formal park permit is required. From the checkpoint, the trail climbs about 850 meters of cumulative elevation over 9 kilometers one way to the San Antonio base camp on the southern approach to Nevado de Colima. The surface is largely packed dirt and root-covered forest floor through dense pine-oak woodland, with occasional rocky switchbacks as the trail gains elevation. Shade is abundant for most of the route thanks to the forest canopy, though exposure increases near the upper camp as the trees thin out. Landmarks along the way include a mid-route stream crossing, used seasonally as a water source, and a series of clearings that offer views back toward the Comala valley; these clearings make reasonable turn-around points for hikers not continuing to the camp. San Antonio itself is an open, informal campsite rather than a built refuge, with flat ground for tents but no permanent structure or facilities. Hikers who plan to overnight at San Antonio before continuing toward the Nevado de Colima summit should carry a tent and sleeping bag, since night temperatures at this elevation drop well below what is typical in the Comala lowlands. Water can sometimes be found at the stream crossing partway up, but this is seasonal and should not be relied upon in the dry season; carrying at least 3 litres from the trailhead is the safer approach. The trail is popular with hikers using it as the southern staging point for a subsequent Nevado de Colima ascent, but it is also a worthwhile out-and-back hike on its own for the pine-oak forest scenery.