TRIP TO THE BOTTOM OF BATOPILAS CANYON

ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR AND REMOTE
AREAS OF ALL THE BARRANCAS

Video click here

Journey back into time to the lost silver mining town of Batopilas, which is located in the bottom of the greatest and most scenic canyons in the world. Much like Brigadoon, this colonial town is lost in time and space.

 The first day we overnight in the colonial town of El Fuerte. We will arrive in the evening at Divisadero after a day spent in our special open air lounge car. Divisadero is the point for overlooking Urique Canyon. After a hotel night we will enjoy hiking on the rim. Later in the day we move to the town of Creel for a hotel night. The next day early we are off to Batopilas by bus. The trip will take 8 hours, over very precarious roads. You will see the rarest and most interesting scenery in all the barrancas.. This trip is for adventurous only. The road down to Batopilas is something out of a movie. You will see the most special scenery in all the barrancas. Once we arrive in the ancient town of Batopilas we will reside at a country inn which is primitive but sufficient. Batopilas is the unchanged Mexico. Pigs and horses wander the streets which are clean and filled with bouganvilla and flowers. The town is built completely in the colonial style of architecture. This trip is for the romantic type of person. There will be a chance the next day to hike to the lost mission of Satevo. This is an original unrestored but well preserve mission of great antiquity. After 2 nights at the inn, we will return by bus to Creel where you can rest your weary bones at the Hotel The next morning is spent in Creel. In the afternoon we begin our return journey. that night we overnight again in El Fuerte and then in the morning continue our trip which ends early the next morning January 31. The price for this trip is $1650. per person dbl. occ. Single Supplement is $100.

A Brief Bit of History
Batopilas is considered the "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" because of it's historic past and present beauty. Founded in 1709 as San Pedro de Batopilas when the Batopilas mines were discovered, the small pueblo slowly, but steadily flourished due to this mining activity.
The Jesuit mission of San Miguel de Satevó, just outside the town, is known as the "Lost Mission" as there are no records describing it's existence. Believed to have been constructed in the 1760's, the mission is one of the canyon's best preserved. It's setting is ideal near the edge of the Batopilas River.

The silver mines of Batopilas were some of the richest in Mexico. In the 18th and 19th century both Spaniards and Mexicans gained great wealth out of the area. American John Robinson purchased an old claim in 1861 which turned out to have a large, hidden vein. He decided to sell the claim to fellow American Alexander Shepherd for $600,000 US in 1880.

Alexander Shepherd was the last mayor of Washington, D.C. and had been ousted under unproven corruption charges. Once Shepherd moved his family to Batopilas, he filed over 350 mining claims and formed the Batopilas Mining Company. His mines became some of the wealthiest in the world at their peak.

Noting the difficulty and time (over eight days) of transporting the silver ore to Chihuahua, Shepherd opened his own facilities and foundry along the river at his Hacienda San Miguel. Over 20 million ounces of silver were extracted from the mines, and this great wealth allowed Shepherd to bring cultural events and technological advances to this once sleepy town. Batopilas was the second city in Mexico to have electricty. His hydroelectric works provide the towns power still and he also built an aqueduct which is still in use today. So famous for it's wealth were Shepherd's mines that Pancho Villa once robbed a mule shipment of $40,000 US in silver bars.

Alexander Shepherd died in 1902, leaving the mines to his sons who ceased operation in 1920, although other miners would later try unsuccessfully to restart the old mines. In 1938, one son, Grant Shepherd, wrote The Silver Magnet about life in Batopilas and Alexander Shepherd. It is an excellent description about this once world famous town.

Pictures of Batopilas and below is a map

Call or email for more information