A Little Rough Around the Edges

Imagine, if you will, visiting the Grand Canyon in the days before it was tamed by tourist facilities and you'll have some sense of what it's like to take a trip through the Barrancas del Cobre. And naturally it's to be expected that with the opportunity to encounter a relatively untouched natural environment come some of the discomforts of the rustic experience.

Outside small villages such as Creel and Batopilas there are few eateries except those connected to lodges; hearty meals are generally included in room rates. In Cerocahui, Divisadero, Posada Barrancas (posada means inn), and Creel, most hotels are pine-log types heated by gas furnaces or wood-burning stoves. The lodges send buses or cars to meet the train—which is extremely convenient. For this reason, reservations are essential.