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On the floor of the Copper Canyon sits
the once-booming mining town of Batopilas. Reached after a 5-6 drive over
unpaved and tortuous roads, Batopilas is typically 30 degrees warmer and
seemingly a century removed from Creel. Batopilas thrived from the 1740s
until the early 1900s when the mines finally gave out. In the late 19th
century, an American (Alexander R. Shepherd) arrived and built bridges,
aqueducts and even a hydroelectric plant that aided both his mining
operations and the town. Strangely, Batopilas, which has no telephone even
to this day, was the second place in Mexico to receive electric power.
Batopilas today is a dusty and rundown, but still charming, ghost of its
former boom years. Once-grand houses have fallen into disrepair. But it
was most definitely a worthwhile side trip to visit this town from another
era, to see the spectacular surrounding landscapes and to
"discover" the nearby "lost cathedral" – the Jesuit
mission church of San Miguel de Satevo.
Batopilas was first mined by
the Spaniards in 1632, and the mines continued to produce for the next
three hundred years. The peak mining period was reached during the late
1800's when an American by the name Alexander Shepherd developed the mines
to their highest level of production—a level which ranked them among the
richest silver mines in the world. The mining operation at that time
employed 1500 workers, and the total length of tunnels was more than 70
miles.
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Bartopilas
a brief history
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You
can get here either from Creel
or Guachochi,
but either way you will need to take the road that connects them. At
kilometer 70, take the detour to Samachique. From here it's 55 kilometers
on a dirt road which descends dramatically to Batopilas giving you some of
the canyon's most exceptional views. Use caution as this road has some
sharp cutbacks and is rather narrow in some areas. La Bufa is the perfect
spot for a commanding view of the Batopilas Canyon system.
Most visitors choose to take a tour company to the canyon's bottom,
both for the safety factor of an experienced canyon driver, and for the
opportunity to take photos and take in the view. Most drivers will pull
over upon request. Creel is the perfect place to set up this trip. |
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