3 within 3½ hours · 2 under 2 hours
Los Mochis is where the Chepe train to the Copper Canyon begins, and El Fuerte, an hour and a quarter inland, is its colonial first stop: a river town of mansions, a replica fort and good bass fishing. Mocorito, an hour and three quarters southeast, is a quiet plaza town known for chilorio. For a weekend, cross into Sonora for Álamos, the silver town of arcaded mansions at the foot of the Sierra Madre.
Best months for the area: Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov (when most of these towns are dry with comfortable afternoons)
Day trips (under 2 hours) 2
Close enough to drive there and back from Los Mochis in a day. Closest first.
Weekend escapes (2 to 3½ hours) 1
Worth a night or two. Closest first.
On the map
Getting there
Los Mochis has its own airport, Los Mochis (LMM), so you can fly in and rent a car there.
A car is the easiest way to reach most of these towns; the bigger ones also have direct buses from Los Mochis. Each pueblo's page has its own getting-there notes.
Drive times are from OpenStreetMap routing without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the distance and may run longer on mountain roads.