3 sumps · down to 81 m (266 ft)
Cave diving in the Sierra Mazateca
- Sumps3
- Max depth81 m (266 ft)
Why come here
Beneath the Sierra Mazateca in Oaxaca lies Sistema Huautla, the deepest cave system of the western hemisphere, and the sumps that carry its water out. This is where Bill Stone, Rick Stanton, Jason Mallinson and Chris Jewell made history: rebreather dives 1,475 m below the entrance, underground camps beyond sumps, and the still open question of where the water leaves the mountain. It is pure expedition: the sumps lie beyond dozens of shafts and kilometres of dry cave, you need the municipality's permission and the village's support, and rain floods the caves within hours. If you won't dive here yourself, read the stories of the 1984, 1994, 2013 and 2018 teams.
All 3 sumps
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cueva de la Peña Coloradaℹ Info · explorationPermission neededNot known yet · Full cave | 55 m (180 ft) | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Huautla Resurgence (Río Santo Domingo)ℹ Info · explorationPermission neededNot known yet · Full cave | 65 m (213 ft) | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Sótano de San Agustín (Sistema Huautla)ℹ Info · explorationPermission neededNot known yet · Full cave | 81 m (266 ft) | Not known yet | Full cave |
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Map
Practical info: rules, fills and emergency numbers
Access and rules
- Access: the 2018 team needed written permission from the municipal president of Mazatlán Villa de Flores and the support of the village of Loma Grande; without that support villagers turned against the team. Arrange this well ahead and with someone who speaks Spanish.
Gas and fills
- Gas: no fill station found. The teams brought rebreathers, trimix and their own cylinders and carried everything into the canyon on foot and with horses.
Water and season
- Season: the expeditions dived in the dry season (March–April). Rain on the surface floods the caves within hours.
Getting around
- Travel: the 2018 team took the bus from Mexico City to Huautla de Jiménez; from the field house in Loma Grande the cave is about two hours' walk.
Good to know
- Read this first: beneath the Sierra Mazateca lies Sistema Huautla, the deepest cave system of the western hemisphere (1,560 m, over 100 km of passages). The sumps here lie beyond dozens of shafts and kilometres of dry cave and are dived only by large expeditions with underground camps. No source names an operator that takes visiting divers.
News
No recent news found about the caves in this region.
Searched automatically, last on 13 Nov 2026.
No provider in the Sierra Mazateca yet
The caves here are listed as information only: we don't know a dive centre, guide or club yet that takes visitors, so you can't plan a trip here yet. Do you know one, or are you one? Let us know.