Road to Creel - Copper Canyon

[Kidoo]

Hi, I would like to know what is the best route to go to Creel, near Copper Canyon. There is a big campground in this little town.

Where would I cross the border, how safe is it to take these route, any recommendations?

I already got there on the train from El Fuerte.

[reed_cundiff]

Should like to know folks thoughts on this since we may drive back north through Chihuahua this next spring
Reed and Elaine

[Kidoo]

coloradotallman wrote:
Kidoo; sorry kind of late to the post, but I have gone to Creel twice in the past three years. The first time I crossed at Douglas, Arizona at CopperCanyonTallman.Wordpress.com and the second time we crossed at Nogales, Arizona, went to Hermosillo and then east at PanAmTallman.Wordpress.com We stayed at the Creel "KOA" both times and rented a cabin both times because the temperature was cold, once in April and once in November. The second trip through Hermosillo we had to cross the Tutuaca forest with endless switchbacks at 15 mph. Post back for any further questions.

Thanks for the info., I am happy to hear that the camping is open. When I was there I did not ask and saw no RV. I will most certainly go to the fall too.

[coloradotallman]

Kidoo; sorry kind of late to the post, but I have gone to Creel twice in the past three years. The first time I crossed at Douglas, Arizona at CopperCanyonTallman.Wordpress.com and the second time we crossed at Nogales, Arizona, went to Hermosillo and then east at PanAmTallman.Wordpress.com We stayed at the Creel "KOA" both times and rented a cabin both times because the temperature was cold, once in April and once in November. The second trip through Hermosillo we had to cross the Tutuaca forest with endless switchbacks at 15 mph. Post back for any further questions.

[Kidoo]

Thanks, on my last year trip, we saw nothing scary, we stayed on main roads.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

99% of what you read about is hidden from tourists. Hah! California. Bay Area. Bethel Island has a rude nickname: Methyl Island.

I will not take anything but a pickup truck to Batopilas. It ain't worth it. But the town and anything of interest to tourists is safe. Backpacking is not, without a guide.

If a person goes LOOKING for trouble anywhere in the world, eventually they will find it. I do not know that that would prove.

[Kidoo]

MikeJinCO wrote:
We haven't been down there for 4 or 5 years now. We have sort of avoided the area because of local hoodlum problems around Samachique( on the way to Batophilas hijacking trucks although they were much more interested in a Suburban type than a strange looking thing like a truck camper. The old KOA was still there tho pretty run down. If it is gone I'd just boondock in the town square. Besides going to Batophilas you can also follow the road out to Bahuachivo and down to Urique. From there it goes to Tubares(not on any map) with a side road back to Batophilas(again not on the map, it goes to Satevo). I think if you worked it right you could get from Bahuachivo out to Alamos or from Tubares(a really tough looking little town) out to Choix. BUT be aware that most of the locals won't speak much Spanish, there are(were) no road signs, the maps are famously inaccurate, and although there is gas,generally out of barrels, in every tiny pueblo the only place that would probably have diesel would be in Bahuachivo.

We also spent a couple of days down around Guachochi and that is also not a particularly comfortable area, but the canyons are beautiful. There we camped for 2 nights in a farmers field.

We did a 5 day ATV circle trip from Creel to Bahuachivo, Urique, Tubares, Batophilas to Creel and it was 300 miles of gravel roads. One of our greatest experiences.

The local Tarahumara are very reserved and the there wasn't basically any local law so it can be a hazardous area although we have had absolutely no problems in two trips down there. Summer would be rainy season and some of the roads might get almost impassable due to mud.

I've probably said too much already. We live north of El Paso so we either crossed there or went west to Columbus NM and south to Nuevo Casa Grande and that was a real nuther experience in some rather untamed country.

Thanks for the info. I also saw on Mexico News that there where Cartel and drug making in Batopilas, but up to Creel seems ok, see nothing hear nothing? Ojinaga seem to be a small town, probably not much going on there, but I don't know.

[MikeJinCO]

We haven't been down there for 4 or 5 years now. We have sort of avoided the area because of local hoodlum problems around Samachique( on the way to Batophilas hijacking trucks although they were much more interested in a Suburban type than a strange looking thing like a truck camper. The old KOA was still there tho pretty run down. If it is gone I'd just boondock in the town square. Besides going to Batophilas you can also follow the road out to Bahuachivo and down to Urique. From there it goes to Tubares(not on any map) with a side road back to Batophilas(again not on the map, it goes to Satevo). I think if you worked it right you could get from Bahuachivo out to Alamos or from Tubares(a really tough looking little town) out to Choix. BUT be aware that most of the locals won't speak much Spanish, there are(were) no road signs, the maps are famously inaccurate, and although there is gas,generally out of barrels, in every tiny pueblo the only place that would probably have diesel would be in Bahuachivo.

We also spent a couple of days down around Guachochi and that is also not a particularly comfortable area, but the canyons are beautiful. There we camped for 2 nights in a farmers field.

We did a 5 day ATV circle trip from Creel to Bahuachivo, Urique, Tubares, Batophilas to Creel and it was 300 miles of gravel roads. One of our greatest experiences.

The local Tarahumara are very reserved and the there wasn't basically any local law so it can be a hazardous area although we have had absolutely no problems in two trips down there. Summer would be rainy season and some of the roads might get almost impassable due to mud.

I've probably said too much already. We live north of El Paso so we either crossed there or went west to Columbus NM and south to Nuevo Casa Grande and that was a real nuther experience in some rather untamed country.

[rocmoc]

You can take your TIP and FMM anywhere in the country but you have to obtain at the border.

rocmoc n AZ

[Kidoo]

rocmoc wrote:

Kidoo wrote:
Can we take our TIP and tourist Visa at the Presidio border?

Yes, they are nationwide.

rocmoc n AZ

Thanks, I tough there was some border that did not provide this service.

[rocmoc]

Kidoo wrote:
Can we take our TIP and tourist Visa at the Presidio border?

Yes, they are nationwide.

rocmoc n AZ

[Wm_Elliot]

Basaseachic Falls isn't far from Creel - nice trails, a very tall waterfall, and a campground (in a field, no hookups. fireplace, bathrooms and water taps. There were a lot of nationals there on Easter weekend.

[Kidoo]

Can we take our TIP and tourist Visa at the Presidio border?

[rocmoc]

No matter where we are, we try to travel thou congested areas Sunday Morning EARLY.

rocmoc n AZ

[Kidoo]

rocmoc wrote:
We stayed in the Old KOA and had a great time. We traveled 16 and the only problem was the double & triple parking in Cuauhtermoc. There were times we were in the oncoming lanes or barely able to pass. The last 20 miles or so is a beautiful drive winding into the mountains. We were there in May with perfect weather in Creel, 70s and no bugs, but a bit warm at the canyon floor, 90s.

rocmoc n AZ

This is great news! Would it be better to travel during the week or the weekend through Chihuahua and Cuauhtermoc?

Anything else beside Copper Canyon to see on the way down there?

Thanks