Batopilas
Established by Spanish conquistadores starting in 1632 as a center for silver mining. aTt the turn of the 19th century it was one of the richest silver mining areas in the world.The sleepy village of Batopilas is located along the Batopilas River at the bottom of the deepest canyon. On the outskirts of the town are the ruins of a Gothic mansion built in 1880 and abandoned mine shafts as well as Tarahumara villages and a 400-year-old Jesuit mission known as the “Lost Cathedral” of Satevo.

 

Cerocahui
Cerocahui is located at an altitude of 5000 feet and is located at the edge of Urique Canyon, the deepest canyon in the western Sierra Madre system. Cerocahui is an "ejido" (government-established community cooperative) dedicated to forestry. Additional occupations are ranching, farming and service businesses such as grocery stores. Mining once provided employment but the last local mine, the "Sangre de Cristo", folded in 1963.

 

Creel
Creel is located in the Sierra Tarahumara. It is the second-largest town in the municipality of Bocoyna, Chihuahua. It is located some 175 kilometers to the southwest of the capital city of Chihuahua. Creel was historically a logging town, although tourism has become the primary job source over the last 20 years. There are many hotels, restaurants and a number of tours down into the canyons and throughout the surrounding area. Creel overlooks the "Three Canyons" area of the Copper Canyon.

 

El Divisadero
El Divisadero “The View Point” is one of the most famous tourist spots of the whole Copper Canyon range. At an altitude of nearly 8,000 feet, this magnificent vista point overlooks Urique Canyon. It was once only accessible by train, from Los Mochis or Chihuahua, but today, there is a highway from Creel. Four of the most famous hotels in the area are located here offering panoramic views of the canyon including balancing rock also tours of cave-dwelling Tarahumara Indians.

 

El Fuerte
Founded in 1563 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Ibarra, the first explorer of the lofty Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. In 1610 a fort was built to ward off the fierce Zuaque and Tehueco Native Americans, who constantly harassed the Spaniards. In 1824, El Fuerte became the capital of Sonora y Sinaloa. It remained so for several years until the dissolution of this state. El Fuerte was a chief trading post for silvel miners and gold seekers from the Urique and Batopilas mines.

 

Los Mochis
Los Mochis is a coastal city located in Sinaloa, Mexico it is the western terminal of the Chihuahua-Pacific Railroad, which passes through the scenic Copper Canyon and connects the Sinaloan Coast with the Sierra Tarahumara. Los Mochis is miles from Topolobampo, which connects to La Paz, Baja California via a ferry. Los Mochis offers first class and budget hotels, fine restaurants offering local seafood. This is also an excellent place for freshwater fishing and a good place to hunt.

 

Urique
Founded in 1690 along the banks of the meandering river, Urique was totally isolated until connected by a switchback mountain road in 1975. Urique sits at the bottom of the Urique Canyon, which is the deepest canyon in the Sierra Tarahumara at 1,879 meters (6,200 feet). Urique Canyon is also the deepest canyon in North America, and home to a Tarahumara settlement. Gold mining is still conducted there on a small scale and the town serves as a county seat and economic center.

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