Chihuahua is a state in Northern Mexico. It is known for its great deserts, its snow-capped mountains and ravines covered with alpine forests, which make it well-suited for ecotourism. It also has mining towns and colonial cities that were of great importance to the history of the country.
The state is composed of desert plains in the east, and mountainous land (the Sierra Madre) in the west. A subsection of the Sierra Madre, the Sierra Tarahumara is considered by many to be the most rugged landscape in Mexico.
Chihuahua is a vast area, the largest state in Mexico. Its area of 245,000 kmยฒ makes it roughly half the size of Spain or about the size of the UK. Transport costs can add up quickly in such a large rugged region.
Although Chihuahua is primarily identified with its namesake, the Chihuahuan Desert, it has more forests than any other state in Mexico, aside from Durango. Due to its variant climate, the state has a large variety of fauna and flora. The state is mostly characterized by rugged mountainous terrain and wide river valleys.
The Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range, part of the continental spine that also includes the Rocky Mountains, dominates the state's terrain, and is home to the state's greatest attraction, Las Barrancas del Cobre, or Copper Canyon, a canyon system larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon.
On the slope of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains (around the regions of Casas Grandes, Cuauhtรฉmoc and Parral), there are vast prairies of short yellow grass, the source of the bulk of the state's agricultural production. Most of the inhabitants live along the Rio Grande Valley, and the Conchos River Valley.
A basic understanding of Spanish, while not necessary, will make your visit much smoother and more enjoyable. Those traveling in tour groups are often accompanied by an English-speaking guide.
Tarahumara living in remote areas will often speak only their native language and very limited Spanish. There are also other areas where Mennonites live and their own language (based on German and Dutch) is used: for instance, Ciudad Cuauhtรฉmoc, where the largest Mennonite community is.
Major airports are found in the cities of Chihuahua (IATA: CUU) and Juarez (IATA: CJS), and in El Paso (IATA: ELP), just across the border from Juarez.
Long-distance buses from U.S. cities usually cross the border at El Paso and arrive at Central de Autobuses Ciudad Juarez ๐, located on Blvd. Oscar Flores 4010 in Juarez.
Juarez is a major bus station with several first-class and smaller second-class bus lines serving the city of Chihuahua and other destinations in bordering states.
Chihuahua is a vast land of desert and wide open spaces. Distances between towns can be long and public transit more limited than in populated areas.
A car is your best bet for getting around Chihuahua. The Chihuahenses bus line (part of Grupo Senda) operates throughout the state. The Chepe train is the best way to travel from the city of Chihuahua to Creel, Divisadero, or west to Los Mochis and the Gulf of California.
Chihuahua is not as well known for its crafts and artisans as some of the southern states that are generally preferred by tourists. But western wear (boots, hats, and shirts) as well as saddles and tack are of high quality and fairly priced. Finding appropriate sizes may be a challenge for some visitors.
Some travellers report that tap water here is safe, but still most tourists play it safe and buy bottled water.
The canyonlands are intolerant of incompetence. This a harsh, rugged land with a dry climate that sees wild temperature extremes. Know your limits and abilities. Don't go out into remote areas alone. The money spent to hire local guides is nearly always well-spent. Guides can introduce you to the people living back in the remote barrancas. They can also explain the cultural history of the area and some are quite familiar with the flora and fauna of the area (note there is little remaining wild fauna other than birds).
There are military checkpoints throughout remote sections of the state. Most soldiers are young but polite, all are heavily armed. There are also narcos in most remote sections of the Sierra Tarahumara. They are also heavily armed. Guides will know which sections should be avoided.
The greatest danger is probably the terrain itself. The mountains aren't especially tall, but are very steep and rugged. It is easy to twist an ankle or break a wrist out here. Medical services are few and far between. Travel in large groups usually isn't practical because of the limited supplies available in the backcountry. Rather, the preferred mode of travel would be to form small self-supporting groups.
Take the time to continue south to Durango, another overlooked destination in the north of Mexico. Further south is Zacatecas, one of Mexico's most attractive cities.