Breakfast
Machaca with eggs
Machaca is dried, shredded beef, a northern breakfast scrambled with eggs, tomato and chile and served with warm flour tortillas.
Local tip Ask for the salsa on the side and add it a little at a time.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. This is a trip of long, slow legs, so settle into Chihuahua and keep the first evening light.Details
- Getting here
- Chihuahua has an airport with flights from Mexico City and a few other cities, and long distance buses come in from across the north. The railway starts in the city, so a flight or bus into Chihuahua suits this plan. Check current official travel advice and keep to main roads in daylight.
- The Chepe railway
- The Chepe crosses the Sierra Tarahumara between Chihuahua and the Pacific side. Its timetable, its classes and the sections that run can change, so check the current service and book ahead. The two sides may keep different clock times, so read the time on your ticket.
- Altitude, cold and heat
- Chihuahua sits around 1,400 metres, and Creel and the rim are about 2,300. Nights at the rim are cold for much of the year, with frost in winter, while the canyon floors can be very hot. Pack layers, drink water and go slowly at height.
- Before you start
- Day 1 starts at the Plaza de Armas, so settle in and take an easy walk to the cathedral before supper. Carry some cash for small villages, where cards may not be taken, and keep your bags light for the trains.
How much walking? On foot, about 0.4 to 3.6 kilometers a day, and 390.3 kilometers by car in all across 5 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Day 1. A cathedral, a palace and the house of Pancho Villa
5 stops · 2.2 km on footAn easy day on the flat in a high desert city. A square, a carved stone cathedral, a government palace with painted scenes of the state, an art nouveau mansion and the house of the revolutionary Pancho Villa. Keep it light before the long days ahead.
If you only have half a dayCathedral of Chihuahua, then Palacio de Gobierno. A carved stone cathedral on the main square, then a government palace with painted scenes of the history of the state.
- 1Morning
Plaza de Armas
The main square of old Chihuahua, a tree shaded space with benches between the cathedral and the town hall. Start here and sit for a few minutes to get used to the dry air and the light of the high desert.
Go when Morning, once the sun has warmed the stone, or in the evening when the square fills.
Local tip Take a bench and let the thin dry air settle you. Look at the cathedral front across the way before you go in.
About 2 min walkunder 0.1 km - 2Morning
Cathedral of Chihuahua
The cathedral of the city, built slowly through the 1700s in a baroque style, with a carved stone front and two towers. The inside is calm and tall. It is a working church, so stay quiet during services and cover your shoulders.
Go when Morning, when the light picks out the carving on the front.
Local tip Stand on the square and look at the stone before you go in. It is a working church, so cover your shoulders and stay quiet during services.
Photo: Juan Pablo Gutiérrez Bald…, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 7 min walk0.5 km - 3Midday
Palacio de Gobierno
The government palace of the state, built around a courtyard with painted scenes from the history of Chihuahua. A memorial to the independence leader Miguel Hidalgo, who was executed in the city in 1811, stands inside. Check ahead on how visits work.
Go when Midday, as an indoor stop.
Local tip Walk the courtyard and look up at the painted scenes. A memorial to Miguel Hidalgo is inside. Check ahead on how visits work.
Photo: Charlie MX, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Lunch
Discada
A mix of meats and peppers cooked together on a round steel disc over a fire and eaten in flour tortillas, a dish of the north.
Local tip It is filling, so share a plate and add lime and salsa.
About 9 min walk0.8 km - 4Afternoon
Quinta Gameros
A mansion of the early 1900s built for a wealthy landowner and his family in art nouveau style, which is rare in Mexico. It is now a museum, with rooms laid out as they were. Look at the ceilings and the carved wood.
Go when Afternoon, as an indoor stop.
Local tip Go slowly through the rooms and look up at the ceilings and the carved wood. Check ahead on the opening.
Photo: Lyricmac, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 10 min walk0.8 km - 5Afternoon
Museo Casa de Villa
The house of the revolutionary general Pancho Villa, called Quinta Luz, now a museum of the Mexican Revolution with objects, photographs and rooms from his life. Read the story as one view of a hard time, and check ahead on the opening.
Go when Late afternoon, as an indoor stop.
Local tip Villa is a person people remember in different ways, so read the whole story. Check ahead on the opening.
Photo: Lyricmac at English Wikip…, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
Chile con queso
Melted local cheese with roasted green chile, scooped up with warm flour tortillas, a supper of the state of Chihuahua.
Local tip Eat it while it is hot, with a cold drink alongside.
If it rains. The city is dry, but a wet day makes the stone slick. Do the cathedral, the palace and the two museums indoors, and keep the walk across the square for a gap in the weather.
Day 2. A pine town, a lake and a waterfall at Creel
4 stops · 202.1 km by carUp into the sierra by rail or road, to the pine town of Creel, about 2,300 metres up. A square with craft stalls, a small lake among boulders and pines and a waterfall beside the road to a mission village. Start early, since the travel takes a good part of the day.
If you only have half a dayLago de Arareco, then Cascada de Cusárare. A small lake among pines and boulders, then a waterfall beside the road to a mission village.
- Drive from Museo Casa de VillaAbout 2 h 35 min by car181.6 kmWhere Day 1 ended.
- Breakfast
Burritos and strong coffee
A flour tortilla rolled around beans, eggs or stewed meat, with strong coffee, a plain start before a day at height.
Local tip Eat well and carry water, since the road trips pass few shops.
- 1Midday
Plaza de Creel
The small square of Creel, a timber and railway town in the pines. Rarámuri families sell baskets and carved pieces nearby. Buy from the maker, ask before taking anyone's photo, and pay the price asked.
Go when Morning, before the road trips leave.
Local tip Buy crafts directly from the maker and pay the price asked. Always ask before taking a photo of a person, and take no for an answer.
About 18 min by car or transit6.7 km - 2Midday
Lago de Arareco
A small lake among pines and boulders a short drive from Creel, with a path along part of the shore. Rarámuri families live and farm around it, so keep to the paths and take your litter with you.
Go when Late morning, when the light is soft on the rocks.
Local tip Keep to the paths, since families live and farm around the lake, and take your litter with you. At this height the sun is strong and the air is thin.
Photo: No machine-readable autho…, CC BY-SA 2.5 on Wikimedia Commons - Lunch
Caldo de res
A beef and vegetable soup with corn, potato and squash, served with tortillas and lime, warming on a cool day in the pines.
Local tip Squeeze the lime in and eat it hot.
About 23 min by car or transit9.7 km - 3Afternoon
Cascada de Cusárare
A waterfall on a stream beside the road toward the village of Cusárare, reached by a short path with steps. The flow depends on the season and can be thin in the dry months. The rocks are slick, so keep back from the edges.
Go when Afternoon, after a dry spell the flow is thinner.
Local tip The flow changes with the season, so do not expect the same fall in every month. The rocks are slick, so keep to the path and back from the edges.
About 13 min by car or transit4.1 km - 4AfternoonIndoor
Misión de Cusárare
A mission church in the village of Cusárare, from the days of the Jesuit missions, still used by the community. Visit quietly, ask before taking photographs and do not enter homes or point a camera at people.
Go when Late afternoon, outside the hours of services.
Local tip The mission is still used by the community. Ask before any photograph, do not enter homes, and check ahead on whether visitors can go in.
- Dinner
Chile pasado and beans
Chile pasado is green chile roasted, peeled and dried in the northern way, then cooked in a stew with meat and eaten with beans and tortillas.
Local tip Ask how hot it is before you start.
If it rains. In the rainy months storms come in the afternoon, and the dirt road to the falls can turn to mud. Go to the lake in the morning, check the road before you go to the falls, and save the mission for a dry hour.
Day 3. The rim at Divisadero
4 stops · 3.6 km on foot, 29.3 km by carThe canyon rim. A lookout where three canyons meet, a rock that stands out from the edge, a park with a cable car and a quiet village among the pines. The edges are steep and unfenced in places, so keep back, and expect cold mornings and strong sun.
If you only have half a dayDivisadero viewpoint, then Piedra Volada. A lookout over meeting canyons, then a rock on the rim that gives a second view.
- Drive from Misión de CusárareAbout 41 min by car29.3 kmWhere Day 2 ended.
- Breakfast
Apple pastry and coffee
A pastry filled with apple and a cup of hot coffee, since Chihuahua grows many apples, a light start before the lookouts.
Local tip Carry a second pastry for the walk.
- 1Morning
Divisadero viewpoint
The lookout at Divisadero, where the canyon drops away in front of you and other canyons meet below. The railway stops at the station beside it. Rarámuri families sell crafts along the paths, so buy from them and ask before a photo.
Go when Morning, when the air is clear and cool (about 6:34 PM).
Local tip Keep back from the edge, since the ground is uneven and the drop is long. Weather can fill the canyon with cloud, so view the canyon when it is clear and never promise yourself a view. Ask before photographing people.
About 14 min walk1.1 km - 2Midday
Piedra Volada
A rock that stands out from the rim a short walk or ride from Divisadero, with a lookout beside it into the canyon. Keep well back from the edge, since the ground can be loose and the drop is long.
Go when Midday, when the light is high and the canyon is lit.
Local tip Keep well back from the edge and stay on the marked path. Wear shoes with grip, carry water and bring a warm layer for the wind.
- Lunch
Flour tortilla quesadillas
A flour tortilla folded around melted local cheese and griddled, a simple lunch by the rim.
Local tip Add a spoon of salsa and drink plenty of water.
About 7 min walk0.6 km - 3Afternoon
Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre
A park on the rim with a cable car, a hanging bridge and zip lines over the canyon. Check ahead on what is running, since wind and weather can stop rides, and go only as far as you are comfortable with heights.
Go when Afternoon, on a clear and calm day.
Local tip Check ahead on what is running, since wind and weather can stop rides. Go only as far as you are comfortable with heights and follow the staff.
About 23 min walk1.9 km - 4Afternoon
Areponápuchi
A small village on the rim a few kilometres from Divisadero, with quiet lanes among the pines and a pause from the lookouts. Walk slowly at this height and bring a warm layer for the evening.
Go when Late afternoon, among the pines (about 6:34 PM).
Local tip A quiet village, so walk gently and ask before a photograph. Bring a warm layer, since the evening at this height turns cold quickly.
- Dinner
Caldo de queso
A cheese and potato soup, a dish of the northern states, warm on a night that turns cold at the rim.
Local tip Eat it with tortillas, and take your time.
If it rains. Cloud can fill the canyon and hide the view, and the rim is cold and wet in a storm. Keep the lookouts for a clear spell, and use the village and a covered table when it rains.
Day 4. A mission town and the deep canyon
4 stops · 1.7 km on foot, 46.6 km by carDown toward the deep canyon. The railway goes to the station at Bahuichivo, and a short ride takes you to the mission town of Cerocahui. A lookout above it, then a long, rough road to a viewpoint over the canyon and the town of Urique. Go with a local driver and start early.
If you only have half a dayMisión de Cerocahui, then Mirador Cerro del León. A mission church in a green valley, then a lookout above the canyon.
- Drive from AreponápuchiAbout 43 min by car31.4 kmWhere Day 3 ended.
- Breakfast
Sweet bread and fruit
A soft sweet roll and a plate of fruit, an easy start before a long day on the road.
Local tip Keep a spare roll in your bag for the road.
- 1MorningIndoor
Misión de Cerocahui
The mission church of San Francisco Javier in the village of Cerocahui, in a green valley above the deep canyon, from the days of the Jesuit missions. It is still used by the village, so visit quietly and ask before any photograph.
Go when Morning, in the cool.
Local tip The mission is still used by the village, so visit quietly and ask before any photograph. Check ahead on whether visitors can go in.
About 21 min walk1.7 km - 2Morning
Mirador Cerro del León
A lookout on a hill above Cerocahui with a wide look across the valley to the edge of the canyon. The path is rough and has little shade, so wear closed shoes, take water and keep back from the edge.
Go when Morning, before the heat and the wind.
Local tip The path is rough with little shade, so wear closed shoes, take water and keep well back from the edge.
About 27 min by car or transit11.6 km - 3Midday
Mirador Cerro del Gallego
A viewpoint high above the town of Urique, where the canyon falls steeply to the river far below. The road is long, steep and partly unpaved, so go with a local driver or guide, start early and check ahead on the road.
Go when Midday or early afternoon, when the light fills the canyon.
Local tip The road is long, steep and partly unpaved, and it can close in rain, so go with a local driver or guide and check ahead. Keep back from the edge.
- Lunch
Carne asada and beans
Grilled beef with beans and tortillas, eaten in a small place in the town of Urique, near the river.
Local tip Order what the table beside you is having, and drink water.
About 12 min by car or transit3.6 km - 4Afternoon
Urique
A small town on the floor of the canyon beside the river, far lower than the rim, so much warmer. Many Rarámuri runners come from the communities around it. Walk the plaza, drink water often and leave time for the long road back.
Go when Afternoon, then start back with time to spare.
Local tip The town is far lower than the rim and much warmer, so drink water often and wear a hat. Leave enough daylight for the long road back.
Photo: GermanAlmanza, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
Frijoles charros
Beans stewed with bacon, sausage and chile, served in a bowl with warm tortillas, a plain supper on a cooler evening.
Local tip Eat it with a squeeze of lime.
If it rains. Rain can close the rough road to the lookout above Urique, so check with your driver before you leave. If it turns wet, stay with the mission and the village, and leave the canyon road for another day.
Day 5. The rails down to El Fuerte
4 stops · 0.4 km on foot, 112.4 km by carThe way down to the Pacific side. The railway drops through tunnels and across bridges from the sierra to the plain, so most of the day is on the train. In the afternoon, a colonial river town with a hill museum, a shaded square, a church and a town hall.
If you only have half a dayMuseo Mirador de El Fuerte, then Plaza de Armas de El Fuerte. A small museum on the hill above the river, then the shaded square at the centre of town.
- Drive from UriqueAbout 1 h 43 min by car112.4 kmWhere Day 4 ended.
- Breakfast
Coffee and a roll for the train
A hot coffee and a roll or a sweet bread, to carry on board for the long ride down to the plain.
Local tip Buy water as well, since the train is a long day.
- 1AfternoonIndoor
Museo Mirador de El Fuerte
A small museum on the hill above the town, in a building that recalls the old Spanish fort of the place. Its terrace looks over the roofs and the valley of the river. Check ahead on the opening.
Go when Late afternoon, for the view over the valley (about 6:34 PM).
Local tip Climb to the terrace and look back over the roofs and the river. Check ahead on the opening.
- Lunch
Chilorio tacos
Chilorio is pork cooked slowly in a red chile paste and shredded, a dish of Sinaloa served in tortillas.
Local tip Add a spoon of beans, and take your time in the heat.
About 3 min walk0.2 km - 2Evening
Plaza de Armas de El Fuerte
The shaded square at the centre of town, with trees and benches, where the town gathers as the day cools. The railway comes down to the plain, so the evening here is warm, a change from the cold rim.
Go when Evening, once the heat has gone (about 6:34 PM).
Local tip Sit on a bench and watch the town come out. After the cold rim it will feel warm, so keep a cold drink at hand.
- Treat
Coricos
Coricos are small, crisp corn cookies from northern Sinaloa, good with a cup of coffee on the plaza.
Local tip Buy a small bag to carry home.
About 2 min walkunder 0.1 km - 3EveningIndoor
Templo del Sagrado Corazón
The church beside the plaza, dedicated to the Sacred Heart. It is a working church, so stay quiet during services, and look at its front from the square before you go in.
Go when Early evening, outside the hours of services.
Local tip A working church, so cover your shoulders and stay quiet. Look at the front from the square before you go in.
About 2 min walkunder 0.1 km - 4Evening
Palacio Municipal
The town hall on the plaza, a colonial style building of arches and a courtyard. Look at it from the square, and go in only where visitors are welcome.
Go when Evening, when the arches are lit.
Local tip Look at it from the square. Go in only where visitors are welcome, and ask first if you are unsure.
- Dinner
Aguachile
Raw shrimp cured in lime, chile, cucumber and onion, served cold, a dish of the Pacific side that suits a warm evening.
Local tip It can be hot, so ask for it mild at first.
If it rains. The train does not stop for rain, but the town does. The museum terrace is open to the sky, so carry a coat. The church and the town hall can be seen from under the arches when a storm passes.
Departure day
After the last day. The railway and the roads run on their own time, so leave a margin on every leg.Details
- Leaving El Fuerte
- El Fuerte is a small river town, so book the ride onward the day before. Los Mochis, on the coast, has the nearer airport and a bus station, reached by road or on the same railway. Check the current service if you plan to ride.
- Crafts, bought well
- Pine needle baskets, woven work and carved wooden pieces are made by Rarámuri families. Buy from the maker or a community cooperative when you can, so the money reaches them, and pay the price asked rather than pushing it down.
- Dust and layers
- Canyon dust gets into everything, so shake out shoes and bags. Keep a warm layer for the cold plateau and a light shirt for the coast, and charge your phone when you can, since power can be limited in small places.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Chihuahua?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, January to March and October to December are the most comfortable months for walking around Chihuahua. This plan is built for october, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 5 days in Chihuahua, planned for october. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
On foot, about 0.4 to 3.6 kilometers a day, and 390.3 kilometers by car in all across 5 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Keep exploring
Nearby trips
4 days of old plazas, a long boardwalk and a river townAbout 390 km away
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4 days of sea lions, islands and sunsets in La PazAbout 480 km awayMore like this
Make this plan yours
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.