Archaeological site 48 km northeast of Magdalena de Kino
The haunting roofless ruin of a Kino mission beside Highway 2 between Ímuris and Cananea, among the oldest in the Pimería Alta.
On a rise beside Highway 2, in a quiet valley between Ímuris and Cananea, stand the roofless walls of the mission of Nuestra Señora del Pilar y Santiago de Cocóspera. Father Kino founded the mission in the late 1680s, and its first church went up around 1704. It burned in Apache raids more than once and was rebuilt each time.
What survives is a church from two eras: the Franciscans built a new church between about 1780 and 1790, wrapping the old Jesuit adobe walls in fired brick and adding a decorated facade. The mission was nearly abandoned by 1870, and an earthquake in 1887 began its collapse. Treasure hunters looking for Jesuit gold dug tunnels under it, and wind and rain have eaten at the adobe ever since; only traces of the painted decoration remain inside.
It is one of the few buildings left from the Jesuit period in the Pimería Alta, and archaeologists are still working here. In 2026 INAH announced it had found the remains of the first O'odham village tied to the mission, about 100 meters from the church, and a protective roof has been planned to slow the decay.
What to see and do
Walk around the ruined church and look for where Franciscan brick meets the older Jesuit adobe.
Look for the last traces of painted decoration inside the walls.
Take in the view of the Cocóspera valley from the mission's hilltop.
Visit in the soft light of early morning or late afternoon for photos.
Getting there
From Magdalena, drive north on Highway 15 to Ímuris (about 20 minutes), then east on Highway 2 toward Cananea for about 32 kilometers; the ruins are on the north side of the road. Allow about 45 minutes to an hour each way. The walls are fragile and partly shored up, so admire them from outside and do not climb on them.
48 km northeast of Magdalena de Kino
Directions from Magdalena de Kino on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather mild
Misión de Cocóspera shares the climate of Magdalena de Kino, 48 km away. The best months to visit are Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec.
Make Magdalena de Kino your base
Misión de Cocóspera is an easy trip from Magdalena de Kino, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Magdalena de Kino
-
San Ignacio de Cabórica
· Landmark · 9 km away
A Kino mission village just north of Magdalena, with a late-18th-century church and a mesquite spiral staircase in its tower. -
Tubutama
· Town · 55 km away
A Kino mission town in the Altar valley whose church of San Pedro y San Pablo has a Moorish-style arched doorway; a long day trip.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.