Creel

A BREATHTAKING CHIHUAHUAN TOWN THAT IS MORE THAN JUST A GATEWAY TO THE SPECTACULAR COPPER CANYON.

The Rarámuri people of Chihuahua, in Mexico’s northwest, are known for their world-beating athletics abilities.

With a name that translates as “the running people”, the Rarámuri (sometimes known as the Tarahumara) are the stars of science articles and best-selling books, and have been guests of honour at some of the biggest international sports meetings. They run barefoot, they run quickly and they’re reputedly the best endurance runners the world has ever seen.

But the Rarámuri don’t really enjoy the spotlight, and they don’t much like leaving home. And when you’ve visited the region they come from, and particularly the area in and around the town of Creel, you’ll quickly appreciate why sticking around is far preferable to travelling.

Creel is one of Mexico’s 111 Pueblos Mágico, or “Magical Towns”, and it is truly enchanting. situated 7,500 feet (2,330 metres) above sea level in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range, it has grown from a sleepy rural backwater into a highly desirable base for exploring some of Mexico’s most breathtaking scenery.

There are pine forests and waterfalls; hot springs, cave paintings and rock formations. More impressive still, this is the region best known as the Cañon del Cobre, or “Copper Canyon”, a vast landscape of numerous interlinked canyons spreading across a massive area of around 25,000 square miles (65,000 square km). That makes the area of the Copper Canyon larger than the Grand Canyon in the US and it is every bit as spectacular.

The best way to visit Creel is by taking the Chihuahua-Pacific railroad, nicknamed “El Chepe”, which remains one of Latin America’s superlative engineering feats.

Through more than 415 miles (670 km), the railroad crosses no fewer than 37 bridges and chugs through 86 tunnels, traversing some of the country’s most precipitous chasms and canyons, offering awe-inspiring views along the way.

What’s more remarkable is that building of the railroad began in the late 19 th century, survived the Mexican revolution, and was finally opened in 1961.

It visits Creel at one of its highest peaks, and deposits travellers in the centre of the town. It really is the only way to arrive in appropriate style to this elevated wonderland.

Dotted around the streets of Creel you’ll find everything you need to make your visit comfortable: excellent restaurants, shops selling locally produced artworks, crafts and souvenirs, and well-appointed hotels offering all the comforts you could hope for.

Other local landmarks include the neo-Gothic church in the Cristo Rey neighbourhood and the central Plaza de Armas, which has a bandstand at its centre. If you spend some time here, you’ll begin to appreciate Creel’s distinctive atmosphere as a place where locals and visiting parties happily intermingle.

The small but charming town museum across from the station offers a chance to view some of the vivid artwork produced in the region, as well as to learn something about the indigenous people and their relationship with their beautiful surroundings. There are plenty of places to buy their wares and admire their vibrant traditional clothing.

Copper Canyon

A jaunt around downtown Creel is only an introduction, however, because the full expanse of the majestic Copper Canyon opens up a short distance outside the city limits. Distances now become far larger and buildings more sporadic as mother nature takes over in dramatic fashion.

Access to the rugged scenery of the Sierra Tarahumara is simple and you should prepare for some wonderful views over waterfalls, into cave dwellings and across the expanses of the canyons.

The spectacular rock formations of the Valle del Monje are a must see – and, in truth, cannot be missed. The area known as the Valley of the Gods is characterised by these extraordinary natural pillars, rising metres into the sky.

Most visitors note that the Copper Canyon, despite its name, is greener than the desert expanses of, say the Grand Canyon, and it’s possible to delve into the pine forests too and learn about the unique ecosystem that survives in the conditions. It owes a lot to the rivers that still course through the area, and then sometimes plunge with great velocity over the mountainside. The falls of Rukiraso and Cusarare are well worth seeking out.

The method by which you choose to explore Copper Canyon depends on how far you wish to go, what you wish to see and how energetic you are feeling. There are tours possible in fourwheel drive all terrain vehicles (ATVs), many kilometres of bike paths, as well as popular eco-tour packages, during which guides introduce visitors to the ways of the indigenous people. Guides are highly knowledgeable about the history, archaeology and spirituality of the region.

Of course, should you also feel like emulating the Rarámuri, there are hundreds of kilometres of running trails snaking all the way through the forests and over the mountains. Just don’t expect to beat the locals … nor to convince them to leave.

Perhaps a better plan is simply to relax, and there is nowhere better than the hot springs of Recowata, at the bottom of Tararecua gorge. They are not easy to get to – you’ll need to descend a cobbled path, then take an ATV or horse riding trip another couple of miles – but they are well worth the effort. Surrounded by pine and juniper forest, and serenaded by the sounds of woodpeckers and bluebirds, you can bathe in pools of hot, natural spring-water, with an average temperature of around 95° F (35° C) and feel the stresses of life begin to ebb away.