Los Mochis
El Fuerte
Cerocahui
El Divisadero
Creel
Chihuahua

Los Mochis is more than just a terminus of the Chihuahua Pacifico railroad. Situated near the lovely Sea of Cortez, the town is renowned for both fishing and hunting. The town itself is a wealthy agricultural center, and its sugar mill has many employees. The city was founded in 1903 by Benjamin Johnson, an American who recognized the fertile soil and temperate climate as a perfect combination for cultivation. From its very beginning, Los Mochis has been influenced by American culture, consequently the architecture of the buildings is distinctly American.

The first stop along the Copper Canyon route, El Fuerte is located approximately 50 miles east of Los Mochis. El Fuerte is not actually in the Copper Canyon ; and the only reason you might have for getting off the train is to visit the town itself.

El Fuerte was a silver-mining boom town that escaped becoming a ghost town due to the railroad. Its cobblestone streets were maintained and the old colonial mansions, built during its boom period, were refurbished as tourist attractions.

The town is located several miles from the rail stop, but buses and taxis will provide transportation.

What to See and Do
The Hotel Posada Hidalgo is a lovely old mansion converted to a hotel and is perhaps the biggest attraction in the town. However, if you enjoy hunting or fishing, there is excellent bird hunting in the area surrounding the town, and freshwater fishing is available as well. There is a small museum in town with interesting exhibits of crafts; however it is rather weak when it comes to presenting the town's history.

Cerocahui is the first stop within the Copper Canyon. If you choose to get off the train to visit it, the place you will disembark is Bahuichivo, which consists of the train station and a few small houses. The town of Cerocahui is located approximately seven miles away from the train station.

It is a simple settlement consisting of a few houses and hotels built around an old mission church. Remarkable natural beauty surrounds the town.

Hotels and Tours
The hotels in Cerocahui can connect you with many different tours of the surrounding area. Yep Ravo Falls, one of the more popular destinations, is accessible by horseback tours;and there are other sightseeing tours that can take you to spectacular high-elevation lookouts throughout the area.

El Divisadero, a lookout point, offers you some of the best views of Copper Canyon from an elevation of 2,750 (approximately 9,000 feet).

The train only stops here for about twenty minutes, so to take in all that El Divisadero has to offer, you will want to spend the night. Its a good idea to make reservations in advance because you may not have time to find a hotel before the train moves on. The hotels in El Divisadero can connect you to tours that take you on a variety of beautiful excursions into Copper Canyon.

Creel is a town with a population of 5,000. Its roots are in logging, but the stunning scenery and historical areas which surround the town has made Creel a favorite spot with visitors on the Chihuahua al Pacifico route.

Lake Arareko
There are numerous excursions from Creel. If you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy the scenery, consider Lake Arareko. Located some five miles outside of Creel, this pristine 40-hectare (99 acres) lake is surrounded by forests and is a camper's paradise. If you like the beauty of the great outdoors, but don't want to sleep in it, there are beautiful hotels on the lake shore and boats you can rent togo out on the lake for a romantic and relaxing day.

Recowata Falls
A favorite excursion from Creel is the Recowata Falls along the Cus River and the natural hotsprings. The spring itself is a scalding 145°F (127°C); but it drains into the river and cools, providing a soothing transitional area of warm water. There are also ancient cave paintings on the path to the falls that you don't want to miss.

Silver mining town, Batopilas
An overnight trip out of Creel to the silver mining town of Batopilas is among the most enjoyable tours available along the Copper Canyon route. The road to Batopilas itself is wonderful, offering views of some of the most breathtaking scenery of the region.

Batopilas, at the bottom of the Copper Canyon, was founded in 1708 after the discovery of a rich silver vein. Picturesque with its cobblestone streets and a quaint, beautiful church, the town has several antique shops. The preferred method of transportation is by horse.

Excursions into the surrounding areas include several safe and fun tours into the wilderness.

Tarahumara Indians
In the San Ignacio de Arareko community of the Tarahumara Indians, there is a tour available to a Tarahumara cave dwelling, which gives you a glimpse into the cullture and lifestyle of these unassimilated people.

The wealthy city of Chihuahua is the terminus of the railroad on the eastern side. In spite of being highly influenced by American culture, this sprawling city of over 500,000 has had the most impact on history of all of the stops along the Chihuahua-Pacifico route.

Many famous citizens
Chihuahua has been home to some of Mexico's most prominent political and social figures, including Manuel Gameros, one of the richest men in the world before the revolution forced him into exile. Pancho Villa, the great northern leader of Mexico's war for independence, made his home here as did Enrique Creel, an ambassador to the United States and Mexican Secretary of State.

A wealthy economy
Chihuahua, with the richest economy of any region in Mexico, has become wealthy through agriculture, logging, mining (silver, gold, and copper), industry, and more recently, tourism.

An interesting past
Nearby archaeological sites, colonial mansions, exhibits about the Mexican revolution--Chihuahua offers a little bit of everything involving the history of the area.

The archaeological site at Paquimé, located a few hours outside of Chihuahua to the north, is among the most interesting in northern Mexico. Unlike the pyramids of the Aztecs and Maya in the jungles of southern Mexico, these ruins are akin to the Pueblo dwellings of tribes in the southwestern United States. The site was inhabited from roughly 900 to 1300 A.D.

The colonial buildings throughout Chihuahua tell much of the history of the city. The best way to see the town's churches (including the gorgeous cathedral), colonial mansions, and government buildings is to take an organized tour of the city. Most city tours last about three hours and provide English-speaking guides.

Chihuahua and the Mexican Revolution
The city of Chihuahua played an important part in the Mexican Revolution. In 1811, Father Hidalgo y Costilla, the father of the Mexican War of Independence, was detained and subsequently executed in Chihuahua by the Spanish. The dungeon in which he and his comrades were held has been maintained and is now open to visitors. The tour costs under a dollar and is an interesting glimpse into the early stages of the struggle for Mexico's independence.

Historical Museums
The Quinta Gameros museum, built in the neoclassical style common to the French empire, was originally constructed as a mansion for the wealthy Manuel Gameros; but when the revolution forced Gameros' exile, Pancho Villa took it over as his headquarters. Today, the mansion houses exhibits on the history of the state of Chihuahua and the rest of northern Mexico.

The Museum of the Revolution, housed in Quinta Luz, the one-time home of Francisco "Pancho" Villa, displays some of Villa's weapons and the bullet-ridden 1919 Dodge touring car in which he was shot and many photos of the revolutionary period.

Mennonites
The Mennonites are a religious sect founded in Germany by Menno Simons in the 16th century. They don't use cars, or any other modern conveniences, and still speak their native language (a dialect of German). They founded a prosperous farming community here in 1920 to escape religious persecution and to this day have maintained a life apart from the modern world. The tour to the township will take you outside of Chihuahua and usually must be arranged in a group. Be sure to purchase at least a little of the delicious cheese the Mennonites produce. This delectable treat is muy bueno!