Ruiz, Nayarit: Things to Do, How to Get There, Weather
Ruiz, Nayarit is the municipality where the northern coastal plain of the state meets the Sierra Madre Occidental. It sits about 63 km (39 miles) from Tepic, an hour up the 15D toll road, and it is the natural gateway to the mountains: the road to Jesús María and the Mesa del Nayar starts here, and the Cora (Náayeri) and Wixárika (Huichol) communities of the hills come down to the town to sell crafts and coffee. If you want a Nayarit of rivers, canyons and quiet towns rather than beaches, this is the place.
In this guide you will find the exact distance and driving time from Tepic, what to do at the Tenamache Canyon and the old Zopilote mine, how to visit the communities of San Pedro Ixcatán and El Venado, the climate by season, what to eat, and answers to the most common questions about the municipality of Ruiz.
Ruiz Nayarit at a glance: population, location and climate
- Population (2020 Census, INEGI): 24,096 people in 76 localities; the town of Ruiz itself has 14,678.
- Area: 900 km² (about 3.3 % of the state); roughly 70 % of it is mountainous.
- Elevation: the town sits at about 30 m above sea level on the San Pedro River plain; the sierra rises above 1,600 m.
- Neighbors: Rosamorada to the north, Del Nayar to the east, Santiago Ixcuintla to the south and Tuxpan to the west.
- Climate: hot and sub-humid; annual mean of 25 °C (77 °F), rainy season June to September.
- A bit of history: the town grew up in 1909 around a station of the Sud-Pacífico railway (locals still call it “Estación Ruiz”); it became a town in 1924 and a municipality on March 15, 1940, the 19th in the state. It is named after General Mariano Ruiz Montañés, the last political chief of the Territory of Tepic.
How to get to Ruiz Nayarit from Tepic
The distance from Tepic to Ruiz is 63 km (39 miles), about 55 minutes to 1 hour by car. Leave Tepic northbound on the 15D toll road (Tepic–Mazatlán) and take the Ruiz exit; the free federal highway 15 runs through the same valley with more traffic and villages. Regional buses leave Tepic’s main bus station often (about 1 h 30 min, from approx. $120 MXN / 7 USD in 2026). Coming from outside the state? Start with our guide on how to get to Nayarit.
| From | Distance | Approx. time | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tepic | 63 km / 39 mi | 55 min – 1 h | 15D toll road north, Ruiz exit (or free Hwy 15) |
| Tuxpan | 19 km / 12 mi | 25 min | State road |
| Santiago Ixcuintla | 24 km / 15 mi | 25 min | State road |
| Rosamorada | 27 km / 17 mi | 25 min | Free Hwy 15 |
| San Blas | 70 km / 43 mi | 1 h 15 min | Via Santiago Ixcuintla |
| Acaponeta | 76 km / 47 mi | 1 h 05 min | Free Hwy 15 / 15D |
| Guadalajara | 267 km / 166 mi | 3 h 45 min | 15D toll road via Tepic |
| Jesús María (Del Nayar) | 124 km / 77 mi | 3 h | Ruiz–Jesús María mountain road |
Times are 2026 road-network estimates without stops. Within the municipality, El Venado is 17 km (20 min) from town and San Pedro Ixcatán about 36 km (45 min to 1 h, the last stretch is unpaved).
Things to do in Ruiz: mountains, river and mines
Tenamache Canyon and the Real Mineral del Zopilote
This is what put Ruiz on the map for canyoning in Nayarit. The Tenamache is a 4 km gorge with vertical walls, waterfalls and pools where you hike, swim, jump (2 to 11 m) and rappel. It lies next to the Real Mineral del Zopilote, a former mining village where you can still see the 19th-century gold and silver mine and the stone chimney known as the Chacoaco (1875). To get there, cross the town and take the road that climbs toward Jesús María; pass El Venado and about 9 km later, at the bridge over the Tenamache creek, turn right onto 4 km of dirt road. The best season is July to November, when the canyon carries water; always go with a certified local outfitter and never when storms are forecast.
San Pedro River
The San Pedro River is born in Durango as the Mezquital and crosses the whole municipality before reaching the coastal marshes. In Ruiz it is wide and calm, with fords and sandbanks where locals swim in the hot months and where you can eat freshwater fish on the bank. Riverside villages such as Vado de San Pedro live from farming the floodplain.
Las Taunas
Mountain springs that form turquoise pools fed by rainwater. A half-day outing from town that pairs well with the Zopilote.
El Venado and San Pedro Ixcatán: sierra communities
El Venado (1,342 residents) is the first sizeable village on the way up to the mountains and the last place with services before the Tenamache. San Pedro Ixcatán, further upriver, is a Cora community with roots in the old Ixcatán of the Sentispac chiefdom; it keeps its traditional government and agricultural-cycle festivals. Cora and Wixárika families live in both. If you visit, introduce yourself to the local authority, do not photograph people without permission and buy crafts directly from the makers.
Gateway to the Gran Nayar route
The road to the Mesa del Nayar and to Jesús María, seat of Del Nayar, starts in Ruiz. It is a three-hour mountain drive through pine forest and canyons that forms part of the Guardians of the Peyote Route. Fill the tank in Ruiz: there is no reliable gas station until Jesús María.
Weather in Ruiz Nayarit by season
The weather in Ruiz, Nayarit is warm all year. The annual mean is 25 °C (77 °F): January is the coolest month (21 °C / 70 °F average) and June the hottest (28 °C / 82 °F), with highs that can top 38 °C (100 °F) just before the rains. About 1,150 mm (45 in) of rain fall each year, mostly from June to September; August is the wettest month. Up in the sierra (El Venado, Ixcatán, the Zopilote) nights are noticeably cooler.
| Months | Temperature | Rain | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| December – February | Mean 21–22 °C (70–72 °F); sierra lows of 10–12 °C (50–54 °F) | Almost none | Hiking, community visits, coffee harvest in the hills |
| March – May | Rises to 26–28 °C (79–82 °F); May highs of 35–40 °C (95–104 °F) | Dry | San Pedro River, Las Taunas; mango harvest begins |
| June – September | Mean 27–28 °C (81–82 °F), humid | Rainy season (August wettest) | Tenamache Canyon with water (from July), green landscape |
| October – November | Drops to 24–25 °C (75–77 °F) | Occasional showers | Best time: full canyon, clear skies, green hills |
What to eat in Ruiz and what to bring back from the sierra
Ruiz lives off the land: mango (the May–August harvest drives the whole municipality), tobacco, sorghum, beans, pineapple, watermelon and chili on the plain, and highland coffee in the sierra, which Cora and Wixárika families bring down roasted or as green beans. It is a good stop on the Nayarit Coffee Route. At the eateries around the plaza you will find corn gorditas, goat and beef birria, home-style stews with beans and rice, river fish and fresh fruit drinks such as nanche water. From the hills, take home coffee, honey, ranch cheese and beadwork or yarn crafts such as the Wixárika ojo de dios. For the dishes of the whole state, see our guide to the cuisine of Nayarit.
Where to stay and practical tips
- The town has simple hotels (from approx. $500 MXN / 28 USD a night in 2026) and is the best base; at the Zopilote there is camping and rustic cabins run by the canyoning outfitters.
- For the Tenamache bring closed shoes with grip and clothes you can get wet; helmets are provided. Canyon trips are guided only; do not go in on your own.
- Drive the sierra road in daylight and in a high-clearance vehicle; during the rains there are landslides and swollen creeks.
- There are ATMs and gas stations in town; beyond El Venado, pay cash.
- Combine Ruiz with the coast: Tuxpan and Santiago Ixcuintla are under half an hour away, and Mexcaltitán just over an hour.
To see how Ruiz fits with the rest of the state, browse all the destinations of Nayarit.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Ruiz from Tepic?
Ruiz, Nayarit is 63 km (39 miles) from Tepic by the 15D toll road or the free Highway 15. It takes 55 minutes to an hour by car and about an hour and a half by regional bus.
Where is Ruiz, Nayarit, Mexico?
Ruiz is in north-central Nayarit, Mexico, between the coastal plain and the Sierra Madre Occidental. It borders Rosamorada, Del Nayar, Santiago Ixcuintla and Tuxpan, and the San Pedro River runs through it.
What is the population of the municipality of Ruiz?
According to the 2020 INEGI Census, the municipality of Ruiz has 24,096 inhabitants in 76 localities. The town of Ruiz has 14,678, followed by El Venado and Vado de San Pedro.
What is the weather like in Ruiz, Nayarit?
Hot and sub-humid, with an annual mean of 25 °C (77 °F). January is the coolest month (21 °C / 70 °F) and June the hottest (28 °C / 82 °F); it rains from June to September, with August the wettest month.
What is there to do in Ruiz?
Canyoning in the Tenamache Canyon, visiting the old Real Mineral del Zopilote and the Las Taunas pools, swimming in the San Pedro River, meeting the Cora and Wixárika communities of El Venado and San Pedro Ixcatán, and buying sierra coffee.
Why is it called Ruiz?
The municipality honors General Mariano Ruiz Montañés (1846–1932), the last political chief of the Territory of Tepic. The town grew around a railway station in 1909, which is why it is also known as Estación Ruiz.
Area map
- 1Ruiz (municipal seat) Municipal seat, 63 km from Tepic on the 15D; about 30 m a.s.l.21.9505, -105.1461 · Open in Google Maps
- 2El Venado Last village with services before Tenamache Canyon and the climb into the sierra.21.9442, -105.0016 · Open in Google Maps
- 3San Pedro Ixcatán Cora community on the San Pedro River, about 36 km from town.22.0392, -104.9346 · Open in Google Maps
- 4San Pedro River River born in Durango that crosses the municipality; fords and sandbanks for swimming.21.9507, -104.9821 · Open in Google Maps
- 5Tepic State capital; starting point (63 km, 1 h).21.5064, -104.8946 · Open in Google Maps