Dunas de Bilbao

The Dunas de Bilbao are a field of soft, pale sand dunes about 14 kilometers northeast of Viesca, next to the ejido of Villa de Bilbao in the Comarca Lagunera. Seen from the top, the ridges and ripples run toward the horizon and look more like the Sahara than northern Mexico, which is why film crews have used them as a location, Alejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo among them.

The dunes are a protected area looked after by the ejido. Only part of the sand is open to visitors, to keep the rest of this fragile landscape intact, and the community handles access, guided walks, and board rental.

Most people come for sandboarding down the slopes, long walks across the crests, and photos. The best hours are early morning and the last stretch of afternoon, when the light turns gold and the sand stays cool enough that many visitors take off their shoes. In the village, the small Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Refugio is worth a stop on the way in or out.