Mapimí

Mapimí is a high mountain town in Durango. A wild west town, and ghostly as it is, Mapimí has also long been associated with the eerie Silent Zone - an area of mysterious radio inactivity, and with the Ojuela ghost town. The place is quite likely one of the most extensive such ghost towns that can be visited in the Americas.  

The old mine began removing minerals, originally gold and silver, in 1598. Since then, the mine itself was mostly been known for arsenate minerals. Along with the historic center of Mapimí, the mine was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2010 as part of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.

Today, the suspension bridge connecting the old mining town with Mapimí is one of the principle attractions. People come for the somewhat eerie atmosphere, and to walk the old streets. Of course the high, clean desert air is an attraction, too. 

People eat well in Mapimí with a number of eateries serving northerly fare. An annual fair makes the food all that much more apparent. It gets held around the feast of Santiago Apóstol, on July 25 each year. 

The center of town is home to the Plaza de Armas, the Santiago Apóstol church and the curious old Benito Juárez Museum. Not far off, on the way to all manner of adventures, are the Sierra del Sarnoso and the Grutas del Rosario. A bit further south, the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve is an extensive protected desert atmosphere. The Cañón de Fernández State Park also offers outdoor activities in a dramatic canyon. The park is about 2 hours to the south. 

Most people are going to arrive to Mapimí via Torreón in neighboring Coahuila. Importantly though, buses mostly leave from Gomez Palacio, the section of Torreón in Durango state. Look for Autobuses Grupo Cerna Martínez. Buses from the state capital of Durango will also generally route you through Torreón.