The Road to Batopilas

Our Tour Company California Native had arranged with The 3 Amigos in Creel to guide us to Batopilas at the bottom of the Buffa Canyon

Samuel, our driver and guide and Gabriel driver and guide in training, once again we were they only ones on the tour.

Our first stop was at a Tarahumara farm, they had not had rain for 2 years, their crops had failed totally and the government has implemented a food program. They had a craft store set up in the cave in the background

Our second stop was at the Valley Of The Mushrooms

more crafts for sale of course

Our third stop was at The Valley Of The Frogs

Our fourth stop was at The Valley Of The Monks (formerly know as The Valley Of The Penises) 

This is the school for the Tarahumara children

The local church

apparently they also party here as well

Our fifth stop was a hike into this waterfall which had frozen overnight.

This fellow hitch a ride into the waterfall standing on the back bumper of our vehicle, he followed us everywhere, never said a word and was visibly disapointed when we did not give any money.  

The first stretch of highway was paved and we were starting to wonder why they said this trip was not for the faint of heart.

Lunch on the road (literally)

Construction, our road is on the bottom and is totally blocked from debris sliding down from above. 

We had to wait about half an hour until this guy cleared a way for us to get through

It took quite a few passes for him to clear the road as rocks continued to slide down from above

When we reached the other side of the construction the road changed drastically

We soon found out why this trip was not for the faint of heart

The Bufa Canyon

Creel is the usual staging point for groups heading to Batopilas. Ninety-six km (60 mi) and 1,219 meters (4,000 ft) into the gorge, Cañón de la Bufa is a great place to stop for excellent photo opportunities and day hikes, too. About 25 km (16 mi) beyond La Bufa---and another heart-stopping hour of driving---brings you to Batopilas, a unique river destination on the canyon floor.

This quiescent town can be reached by bus, truck, burro, horse, or mountain bike. Deep gorges like the Batopilas are accessed via a serpentine road with sheer drop-offs: reasonably safe, but not for the faint of heart. 4x4 trucks can be rented inexpensively in Creel by individual travelers, but those who want to explore off the beaten track should hire a guide.

Apart from the danger of getting lost, this lonely, sun-kissed terrain is the perfect venue for marijuana plantations, and a lost hiker might stumble across a security guard toting an M-16. Fortunately, locally based guides and knowledgeable tour operators offer access to this magnificent world of striated gorges, pink- and copper-hued peaks, and iconoclastic mission churches.