Are Jalpan/Sierra Gorda fairly safe?

Shouldn't you be answering that question instead of asking it after 7 years in Queretaro?
Probably safer than the Antea Mall. Bet your wife goes there:
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/estados/antea-el-enorme-mall-de-queretaro-donde-un-tiroteo-dejo-3-muertos

I´ve always thought of Queretaro as one of the safest cities in Mexico. Guess I´ll have to think again. Of course rural areas present their own risks.

Safe... from what? The Santo Niño? It's a small, Christ-like doll and has never been known to hurt anyone... in public.

Guess I'll have to think again

Why, though?

Of course rural areas present their own risks.

Killer corn? Deafening silence?

Yes, the area is extremely safe... I'd say going on Thorn Tree presents more risks.

No one I´ve spoken with in the area has said anything other than that the roads and region are tranquilo at this time. Took a bus from Cadereyta to Jalpan this morning...the total travel time was three hours, with two hours of it being winding, so if you can stand a winding road for that long you should be fine. From Cadereyta I made a nice day trip to San Joaquin and the Ranas ruins, which was nice as well.

How long a trip is it from Querétaro to Pinal to Amoles? Saw a nice video on YouTube about day hikes around the area.

How long a trip is it from Querétaro to Pinal to Amoles? Saw a nice video on YouTube about day hikes around the area.

About 3 to 4 hours from Queretaro to Pinal de Amoles by bus. However, this estimate is based on my experience of having traveled from Queretaro to Tequisquiapan, then to Cadereyta, then to Jalpan (through Pinal de Amoles). There might be a faster bus to Pinal de Amoles from Queretaro that I am unaware of.

I was thinking about a Queretaro trip with a stop in Pinal de Amoles. 329, did you see many taxis in Pinal? I was interested in the Cuatro Palos viewpoint, which is near there, but without a car, it would be difficult to get to (I don't care to drive to Pinal, would take the bus). I didn't see any cabs in the Google streetview of Pinal.

I didn´t leave my bus at Pinal de Amoles (either time I passed throught the town - I am back in Cadereyta tonight). I didn´t notice any taxis, but would be surprised if there were none there, as the town is buit up and spread out enough that the locals would have need of taxis. It looks like a nice area, at 2300 meters, up in the pines. There are alot of buses on this route (highway 120) in both directions throughout the day.

I visited each of the five churches in the Jalpan area, famed for their beautiful facades. Collectively they are a Unesco World Heritage Site, and I would say certainly worthy of that destinction.
I took public buses and taxi collectivos to reach three of the five churches (one of the five is in the center of Jalpan), but used a private taxi to reach Tancoyol from the small community of La Lagunita (on highway 120 east of Jalpan). While there is at least three public buses a day to Tancoyol, returning on them would require an overnite stay in the town (so I was told by Tourist Info at Jalpan...a private taxi suited me better for this church).

Peter, At the bus terminal in Cadereyta this morning, I asked one of the sales agents, a local man, and was told that there are certainly taxis in Pinal de Amoles, both the privado and collectivo type.