Copper Canyon Mexico - Updated Road Conditions, Nov 2014

Bristol

Observer
This is a quick trip report on a run that my daughter and I just made to Copper Canyon, Chihuahua, Mexico. Copper Canyon has been written about a lot, so I’m going to limit my comments to just updating some information on road conditions and anything I did not see written up already.

My planning post is here:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...opper-Canyon-Canon-de-Fernandez-and-Monterrey

We stayed at the old KOA campground in Creel. 200 pesos/night and they take credit cards. They have a decent restaurant on sight. We did not try the electrical hook-ups. It was pretty cool in late October, definitely seemed to be the off season for their campers. We were the only ones there.

From Creel we went to Divisadero and the new adventure park they have there. You have to pay 20 or 25 pesos each just to get into the park. For 300 pesos/each (and they take credit cards) we did their 7 zip line run, which started at an appointed time with about 20 other participants. It was slow going and took us about 2.5 hours, but it was worth it for the minimal cost compared to what you would pay in the United States. This package did not include the really long zip line (nearly a mile long), but was instead several zip lines that followed the ridge around the edge, finally finishing in the middle at the tram. A little walking was involved, but none like you have to do for the long zip line. The longest line we did was over 1,100 meters.

From Divisadero we drove to Bahuichivo on a beautiful new road that ended 1 mile before the town, requiring taking the old, rough road for the last leg. At the very first intersection into Bahuichivo is a restaurant painted bright orange. The owner was a wonderful man and is building a few hotel rooms behind the restaurant. He let us camp there for the night.

From Bahuichivo we visited Cerocahui and then Urique. From Urique there is a new road carved up the side of the canyon that connects to an old road at the top that takes you to Batopilas. It’s not on some maps. However, the “Map of Mexico” Android app that I describe here had the road:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/132996-FREE-GPS-Maps-of-Mexico?p=1689807#post1689807

The new section of road out of Urique Canyon was pretty gnarly. 4WD was not required, but the road was very narrow with extreme drops. It took us 3 hours and 45 minutes to drive the 46 miles get to up and over to the main road that leads to Batopilas. We fit okay with our Jeep Wrangler, but a full sized pickup would be challenged with some of the tight switchbacks and squeezes.

From Batopilas we then headed back up and out of the Copper Canyon area on the main road to Creel. This section of road is still under construction. It looks like a bad situation of three steps forward, then two steps back as while they are making progress on building the new road, much of the just finished road has already been badly damaged by washouts and many, many landslides. It was slow going, but all passable on the day we went. Clearly some days though the road would be impassable from any fresh landslides.

So… I had heard you can do a circuit of Copper Canyon now with this new road from Urique to Batopilas. Indeed you can and from Bahuichivo it is all pretty much rough dirt roads requiring good ground clearance and tough tires, but not 4WD. Overall a rewarding (beautiful sights and great local people) route to take if you want to spend a few days exploring and seeing all of Copper Canyon.
 
A bit late on the question, but I just came across this thread. I crossed the Copper Canyon in the fall of 2013 and a bridge was being built over the Urique river. Has the bridge been completed?
 

Bristol

Observer
Yes, south of the town of Urique is a new bridge that will take you across the river to the new road that climbs up the side of the canyon and connects with an old road that will take you over to Batopilas. This new road had a bunch of tight swithbacks, which I would not dream of doing in a full size pickup. It also had some severe drop-offs. It was definitely the gnarliest part of our drive through Copper Canyon.

Kirk
 

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