Exploring the Magical Ghost Town of Real De Catorce - Sailingstone Travel (2024)

The former mining town of Real de Catorce is one of Mexico’s most fascinating destinations. But being located in a remote part of the country at an elevation of over 2700 m, it’s not an easy place to reach. Though often dubbed as a ‘ghost town,’ Real de Catorce is in fact home to over a thousand residents and a thriving tourism industry. But as we’ll cover in the following Real de Catorce guide, there are indeed abandoned ruins from the town’s heyday that one can go and explore.

Real de Catorce’s population was once as large as 15000 at its peak in the late 1800s. But from the 20th century, the price of silver rapidly declined which led to the town’s rapid downfall. From well before the mining boom, however, this region has long been inhabited by the Huichols, a semi-nomadic people who still maintain many of their ancient traditions to this day.

As we’ll cover below, one of the top things to do in Real Catorce is the hike up Cerro El Quemado, the Huichols’ most sacred spot.

While situated in the state of San Luis Potosí, Real de Catorce is about 260 km north of the state capital, and getting there requires a full day of travel. Be sure to check the end of the article for detailed instructions on reaching thisPueblo Mágico, along with tips on where to stay.

Despite being quite difficult (and expensive) to visit, Real de Catorce is easily one of Mexico’ most beautiful, unique and rewarding historic towns. Keep reading to learn why.

But the real magic of Real de Catorce can be experienced by exploring its unassuming side streets and alleyways. That’s why, in addition to doing everything in the Real de Catorce guide below, be sure to dedicate some time to freely exploring the town.

The next several attractions can conveniently be found within the town center, while the landmarks further below are situated along the town’s outskirts.

The facade of theTemplo de la Purisima Concepción which we see today was built in the Neoclassical style in 1817. And this impressive church, which overshadows its surroundings, can be seen from all over town.

But it’s not just its beautiful exterior that draws people to it. The image of St. Francis of Asisi within has been credited with many miracles, and religious pilgrims regularly flock to Real de Catorce to see it in person.

How it got to Real de Catorce is somewhat of a mystery, and some believe it was brought by monks from Zacatecas. In any case, it’s still celebrated each year with its own festival on October 4th.

I happened to be visiting in December, however, during the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. I also spotted a replica of Our Lady of Guadalupe – the patron of Mexico – inside this church, but I suspect it may have just been placed there for the holiday.

After Real de Catorce’s abandonment in the early 20th century, the church remained empty for decades before Father Albino Enriquez came to restore it.And later on, a clock that had previously been donated by Porfirio Diaz was placed on its tower.

Just across the street from the church is the entrance to Real de Catorce’s main museum. While often simply called the ‘Casa de Moneda,’ the former mint is only one section of several, with other exhibits focusing on a wide variety of subjects.

One section details the peyote cactus, including its importance to indigenous tribes throughout Mexico’s north. Presently, peyote grows in the states of Querétaro, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leónand Tamaulipas.

These states are beyond the region of Mesoamerica, the land that saw civilizations like the Olmecs, Mayans, Toltecs build elaborate cities and pyramids.

The northern desert regions, in contrast, were home to semi-nomadic peoples we now loosely refer to as Chichimecas. And the Huichols are one such Chichimeca tribe.

The Chichimeca War between the Chichimecas and Spanish lasted around 200 years, and the Spanish were never quite able to fully conquer and subjugate these tribes. As such, groups like the Huichols were able to maintain many of their ancient traditions to the present day – including peyote.

Groups like the Huichols have long used peyote in religious and shamanic ceremonies, and anthropologists estimate that the ritual use of the cactus in Mexico and the United States has been ongoing for at least 5000 years.

The colorful visions induced by peyote are a major theme of Huichol art. And looking closely, you’ll find various symbolic animals, such as the deer, represented in the sacred art as well.

Notably, peyote isn’t solely ingested to induce psychedelic trips, but consuming small amounts can have medicinal benefits. Peyote is a natural antibiotic and antiseptic, and parts of it can also be applied externally to wounds, burns and aches.

Finally, at the bottom of the museum, you’ll find the Antigua Casa de Moneda, a former mint.During the War of Independence, it became very risky for the Spanish to transfer silver coins from the mint in Mexico City and the surrounding regions, as there was a severe threat from insurgents.

As such, the Spanish authorized regional mints in certain areas to avoid potential robberies, with one of them being here in Real de Catorce.Nevertheless, throughout this period, the insurgents would begin minting their own coins as well.

The mint in Real de Catorce was established in 1811. But to date, only eight examples of coins produced here have ever been found.Decades later, the mint would be briefly revitalized from 1863-1869.

The museum also contains examples of old machinery, along with photographs of the main mint in Mexico City taken during the 1920s.

Getting to the Pueblo Fantasma requires a hike of roughly 45 minutes each way. It’s hard to calculate precisely, however, as there are at least three main sections of ruins to check out.In any case, it would be wise to set aside about half a day to explore the area.

If you don’t want to hike, you can also arrange for a horseback tour in the town center. You’ll also surely benefit from a local guide’s expertise, though you’ll miss out on some of the fun that comes with freely exploring abandoned places.

I’d previously visited another abandoned mining town in the state of Guanajuato called Mineral de Pozos. But as great as that place was, visitors are no longer allowed to freely explore a majority of the abandoned ruins there.

So when exploring the Pueblo Fantasma of Real de Catorce, I was relieved to not see any barbed wire or barriers of any sort.

But as can be the case with exploring abandoned places, you won’t find any signage indicating what the buildings were originally used for. Much imagination was required, but if I had to guess, the first section of ruins we encountered may have been a mine or processing plant.

Continuing onward, we soon spotted a dense cluster of buildings atop a distant hill which was surely a residential area.

Here we encountered structures that were likely the ruins of a once-elaborate hacienda and possibly a church. With so many buildings spread across multiple levels, this is one of those places that no two visitors are going to experience quite the same way.

In any case, it was clear that Real de Catorce was once a wealthy and thriving community. But as with many mining towns, its quick ascent was ultimately followed by a steep and sudden downfall.

Most visitors probably start heading back to the town center after the second set of ruins. But we noticed some interesting-looking buildings further in the distance that we decided to check out before heading back.

But the next thing we knew, we’d encountered yet more ruins as far as the eye could see. All in all, you could easily spend hours exploring and hiking through the hills if you really wanted to see it all.

The place served as a silver processing plant as well as the residence of its former owners, and it almost appears as a miniature town.

But while the buildings here are in a better state of preservation than those of the Pueblo Fantasma mentioned above, I’d still consider this the least essential destination of this Real de Catorce guide. There just isn’t a whole lot to see.

Entering the site, I encountered some staff and asked them if there was a charge for entry. They said there wasn’t, but tips were appreciated. Yet there were no guide services as far as I could tell, and I left after roughly ten minutes of walking around.

The walk there and back, at least, was gorgeous.

One of the main highlights of a visit to Real de Catorce is hiking up Cerro El Quemado, a relatively easy hike that takes a little over three hours roundtrip.

But that’s nothing compared to the long journey many Huichol pilgrims make to the site each year, with some walking from as far as Nayarit or Jalisco about 400 km away!

For this hike, I’d recommend using either Maps.me or the AllTrails app. While not incredibly confusing or difficult, there are a couple of ambiguous sections partway through the hike. And with no trail markings, it’s always nice to have a reference.

Starting from the town center, you’ll start by making your way south through the town’s outskirts. You’ll walk through some old dilapidated structures that appears to be an abandoned hacienda, and before long, you’ll find yourself deep in the countryside.

Eventually, you’ll cross the river and make a sharp right turn. For the rest of the journey, you’ll then largely be heading southwest.

I remember passing by some small farms and what appeared to be a ranch in the middle of nowhere with a surprisingly modern sign.

From this point, you will indeed see hills in the distance, but Cerro El Quemado is not yet visible. Keep heading southwest.

Though not a terribly steep hike, you may find yourself more tired than usual. And that’s because you’re at an elevation of over 2700 m! Be sure to bring plenty of snacks and water and start early enough so that you have plenty of time for breaks.

After being mistaken several times, I eventually did see the real Cerro El Quemado ahead of me, with its summit clearly in view.

On the way up, the views of the mountain and desert in the distance are spectacular. I would later sit down here and rest for a while during the descent, and determined that this must be the quietest place in all of Mexico.

There was not the slightest hint of music, barking dogs, or traffic. Just pure silence.

Reaching the summit, the first thing you’ll encounter is a series of stone circles. These are not merely decorative, but have a sacred significance to the Huichol people and are used in certain rituals.

This place, in fact, is the holiest spot for all Huichols, as it’s believed to be the birthplace of Tatewari, or Grandfather Fire.It was here that the Sun first appeared at the beginning of creation and where it was aided by a deer with massive horns to reach the sky.

To this day, important Huichol rituals are carried out that are meant to preserve balance and harmony in the world. Most Huichol rituals, of course, involve peyote, and I saw some growing openly in a pot.

It’s worth noting that in Mexico, peyote can only legally be gathered and used by Huichols and no one else.

Around the top, I spotted numerous colorful woven diamonds placed on the ground or in bushes. While specific details are scarce, this yarn art is said to facilitate communion with the gods and perhaps open up portals to other realms.

Needless to say, visitors should make sure not to disturb any of these symbols or stones. But non-Huichols are indeed welcome, and when I encountered a Huichol family at the uppermost portion of the hill, they greeted me in Spanish.

There was also a small gift shop as well as a Huichol religious shrine. I later found out from a local that each year, a particular family will be chosen to live atop Cerro El Quemado and serve as its caretakers.

Given the importance of the hill in Huichol culture and religion, this would surely be a great honor. But on this chilly and incredibly windy winter day, I wondered how anyone could manage to live here full-time.

Next, I walked around for a bit more, taking in the beautiful views. I also encountered numerous offerings left on the ground in addition to smaller stone circles and even more artwork.

It seems that a lot of the specifics of Huichol beliefs aren’t revealed to outsiders. But even without knowing much, it’s abundantly clear that Cerro El Quemado is a special place.

The main church in its center is the Guadalupe Church which was constructed by Franciscan monks in 1775.

Its interior is said to contain the tombs of prominent individuals from the town’s heyday, in addition to various religious paintings. Unfortunately, the doors were locked at the time of my visit.

Even with the church closed, I found thePanteón Real de Catorce fascinating and well worth the walk over.

Mexican cemeteries in general are quite interesting with their unique and varied tombstone decorations. And one in a such a historic and (mostly) abandoned town feels all the more atmospheric.

Another popular attraction in Real de Catorce is the Palenque de Gallos, a former co*ckfighting ring and amphitheater. But even though it’s marked on Google Maps and there are even signs pointing toward it, I could never find the entrance.

I spent quite a while searching, even walking down the nearby side streets and carefully looking for an entrance, but I was not successful. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

Another Real de Catorce attraction not far from the center is the Mirador de Manos, a giant pair of hands overlooking the valley, and the Mirador de Cristal, a glass platform overlooking the same view. They cost 100 and 50 pesos respectively, but it seemed like a tourist trap and I skipped it.

Another popular activity that I’d read about online is taking a tour to the desert on a jeep-like Willy’s vehicle. But while I saw some of them parked near the town square, I asked one of the guides who told me they weren’t running.

Instead, he offered to take me on a horseback trip to the desert to consume some peyote for an exorbitant fee, which I politely declined.

WHERE TO EAT: To find reasonably priced food, head over to the area near the tunnel entrance where you first got off the bus. It’s only here that I was able to find restaurants priced similarly to the rest of Mexico. Real de Catorce is especially known for its gorditas.