Central North Mexico

Introducing Central North Mexico

The license plates of Chihuahua, Mexico’s largest state, label it Tierra de Encuentro (roughly Land of Discovery), an apt description that also fits its southern neighbor, Durango. Come here to encounter the sometimes surreal natural beauty: carpets of rainy-season wildflowers, spectacular thunderstorms and wide sweeps of cerulean sky. Come here to feel the vibe of tranquilo towns, to hear the call of ancient, vanished cultures and to see where many important moments of Mexican history happened.

In the Nahua language Chihuahua means ‘dry and sandy zone.’ The Desierto Chihuahuense (Chihuahuan Desert) that covers most of the state, and spreads well beyond, is North America’s largest. The stark beauty of some of its mountain-lined desertscapes defies description.

For many, the sandy expanses are all they know of the region, but in the west rise the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental, cradling fertile valleys and enigmatic archaeological ruins. Chihuahua, Hidalgo del Parral and especially Durango have inviting colonial cores, and history buffs can find museums about revolutionary hero Pancho Villa seemingly everywhere.

Why there are so few visitors here is a mystery. Ciudad Juárez sees some short-term border­-hoppers and Chihuahua gets a few foreigners waiting to board the Copper Canyon trains, but most of the central north consists of quiet towns that haven’t been spruced up for tourists.

Some folk pass through and wonder what the fuss is about. For others, the first visit becomes the beginning of a whole new journey, an intimate look at a different side of Mexico.

Last updated: Apr 1, 2009