The northern Mexican state of Chihuahua is filled with craggy, dramatic mountains, evergreen forests, and vast deserts. In Chihuahua City, you’ll get to explore grand baroque cathedrals and colonial buildings and shop at stores filled with cowboy boots, and artwork from the Tarahumara tribe. Chihuahua is Mexico’s cowboy region, but there’s more to the state than ranches—it’s also home to vibrant museums and galleries, and the stunning Copper Canyon, which you can bike, hike, and ride horses through. There are plenty of things to do in Chihuahua.
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are excellent seasons to visit, thanks to pleasant temperatures that let you hike and explore the outdoors in comfort. This also lets you avoid the rainy summer. In October, Chihuahua City hosts the Festival Internacional Chihuahua—an annual arts and culture festival with exhibitions and events.
One of Chihuahua’s coolest transport options is a destination in its own right. The Copper Canyon train (Ferrocarril Chihuahua Pacífico, or El Chepe) is a scenic way to explore the canyon, which is both deeper and longer than the Grand Canyon. To access areas where the train doesn’t stop, you can use regional bus services that run frequently or taxis. Otherwise, car rentals are an affordable option.
Head northeast from the central square of Plaza De Armas in Chihuahua City, and you’ll find busy shopping streets that are perfect for wandering. It’s a great place to find cowboy boots and affordable leather goods, while admiring the poofy perfection of the colorful quinceañera dresses. When trying on boots, look for a boot that gives your toes room to move but with leather that is still close-fitting over the broadest part of your foot. Bear in mind that leather stretches over time.
