Area Sights

If you are driving into our area, consider expanding your trip to include some additional scenery. The archeological site at Paquime, on the south side of Nuevo Casas Grandes, is well worth a visit. Just south of there lies the famed pottery village of Mata Ortiz and Hacienda San Diego, home of one of Chihuahua's wealthiest men in the days of the Mexican Revolution. Further south, Cuauhtemoc is a gateway into the Mennonite communities of Northern Chihuahua and their museum just north of town is worth a visit. Guerrero offers a convenient location to spend the night before heading west to Basaseachi National Park and the Basaseachi waterfall. From there, you can easily return to San Juanito, Creel, and points south.

	Basaseachi Waterfall as seen from a neighboring overlook approximately 1/2 mile away. This is the dry season and the water is but a trickle. The falls are 246 meters high and you can walk to the edge of the drop. Basaseachi is a park and sometimes there is a ten peso charge to enter. Another, significantly higher, falls exists to the west but we haven't visited it yet. If you are driving south toward Creel, spend the night in Guerrero, visit Basaseachi the next day, and continue on to Creel.
	The "Tarahumara Mansion" hotel is run by the energetic Maria Villarreal and we recommend it highly. It is located a short distance from Divisadero and the Posada Barrancas train stop. You can make it a stop from the train or from the road. Maria offers a variety of rooms, an indoor pool (!) and superb views into the canyon a short walk behind the hotel. The margaritas are pretty good too - unless you have the misfortune to pass through (as we did) during an election when the bar was closed! Mala suerte - bummer!
	Divisadero resembles a carnival atmosphere when the train arrives. Food vendors, native crafts, souvenirs, and a great canyon view get crammed into the visitors' fifteen minute stop. Then the train leaves and everyone settles down to wait for the next arrival.
	On the low road into Bahuichivo, the road passes the Orivo ruins on the left about a kilimeter before Cuiteco. These are the remains of what once was a bustling camp for railroad construction workers. There are only a few buildings remaining today, the one pictured was a restaurant run by a Chinese couple. Unfortunately it and most other structures were buldozed to make a baseball field. A tragic loss of an important historic site.
	Outside Cuiteco on the low road, a bridge crosses a small stream. The foundations for the bridge are concrete but notice the "roadbed" - it's railroad rails! There must have been a surplus of rails because even the power poles use them.
	We made a brief stop in Cieneguita on the road to Tubares. Topping off the truck with gas was simple - gas is siphoned from a drum into a pail and from the pail into the truck's tank.
	Descending to Urique normally offers panoramic vistas. This day was cloudy and the road seemed to disappear as it wound its way downward. Drive this road only if you have sufficient back country driving experience.
	In years past, graduation from primary school was a major event. This diploma, from a museum in Guerrero, was awarded in June of 1900 and signed by the governor of the state of Chihuahua! Wrapped around the bottom of the diploma is the braided hair from Pilar Gonzalez - the lucky student.
	Rains cause havoc on back-country roads. En route to Tubares, at least this bump was minor and passable. Heavy rains can erode dirt roads and cause landslides - delays can be measured in days. The road now sees much more traffic - a major gold mine has opened up at El Sauzal.
	For years the Jesuit mission at Satevó showed a bare exterior of well-aged brick. Taken in spring, 2007, visible restoration work was taking place. By spring 2009 all the brick was covered and the church interior was undergoing major reconstruction. Compare this view with the original shown in our Silver Trail trip description.
	Most of the towns in the area have gazebos in their plaza or zocalo. This one, in Cuauhtemoc, is typically ornate.
	If you are traveling further north, stop on the south side of Nuevo Casas Grandes and visit the Paquime archelogical site. It is very well maintained and does much to illustrate the pre-historic culture of the area. Just south of Paquime, the small town of Mata Ortiz has become famous for its local pottery artists. Don't feel badly if you unexpectedly spend the rest of your trip budget here on some irresistible treasure - you won't be the first one to do so! And on the way to Mata Ortiz, stop by the Hacienda San Diego. Originally one of Luis Terraza's many haciendas from the days of the Mexican Revolution, it is now occupied by the Acosta family and is slowly being restored. The history of the hacienda illustrates many of the conditions that spawned the Revolution. The family gladly offers tours for a small donation to the restoration effort.