Feb 09, 2014
Our road trip ~ the new Mazatlan Durango Highway!
About ten days ago we went on a road trip towards Durango. The purpose of the trip was to see the new highway that recently opened. A few of the RVers had come through that way and described the beauty of the area. Yes I know I still owe you a post on the road from an RV perspective and I will do it, eventually.
In the past, the road between Mazatlan and Durango was a narrow 2 lane twisty and bumpy road, mostly referred to as the Devils’ Backbone ( that road still exists and is still in use ). The trip took about eight hours or longer especially if you got behind a very slow semi. There really was little of an opportunity to pass and if you were an RV meeting a semi you were lucky to get by with your mirrors intact. The new road has cut the trip down to just under three hours. Since opening a few months ago Mazatlan has seen greater tourism and of course commerce will be greatly improved. I read somewhere that a semi travelling into the USA via this new road will save over $1600.00 USD in fuel alone not to mention time saved versus travelling North through Nogales.
From El Sol de Mazatlan
We still saw lots of signs like this. Behind the sign is a net keeping rock from falling onto the road. We saw work still being done here and there along the road. I am certain that this highway will require constant maintenance.
In the distance the Sierra Madre Occidental range which the highway passes through.
One of the 115 bridges. You can see a tunnel on the left.
The tunnels are very thick and have lots of cement way up high. This was the first of 61 tunnels we passed through.
This one also had a service tunnel. We figured that electricity had been strung between Mazatlan and Durango and that the wires were layed under the tunnels. Colin was driving and I was taking the photos, mostly through the car windows.
Amazing scenery. Here you can see some of the construction roads that had been created.
This modern highway is a true engineering feat.
The road is 2 lanes each direction.
Graffiti or Mexican art?
The girls did not appreciate the beauty we were seeing and slept all the way there and back.
As we got higher and higher it became much cooler and the vegetation changed to pine trees.
Lots of interesting rock formations.
This is my shot of the now famous Puente Baluarte. In the Durango Visitor Guide it states that this bridge possesses the Guinness World Record for the tallest bridge in the world. It is 1,321 ft. high, the Empire State Building in New York is 1,250 ft. high and the Eiffel Tower in Paris is a mere 1,063 ft. tall. The Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building seemed much more impressive to me in person but then I was viewing them from ground level. Besides unlike the latter two, when you get to the top, you can't just stop and admire the view from the middle of the bridge.
The only thing that disappointed me is that there are no places to stop your vehicle to admire any of the views, tunnels or bridges. Shortly past the bridge is a rest area where we did stop and then turn around to get home. The rest area is about halfway between Mazatlan and Durango. The 227.3 kilometer ( 136 mile ) highway cost a total of 2.28 billion US to build. So we travelled halfway to the city of Durango but we did see all of the marvels of the new highway. The city of Durango has much to offer the traveller from museums to various forms of culture and many city tours but it is cold up there in the mountains. We were just out to see the sites and had no plans for an overnight adventure. If we had no dogs to worry about I can see us spending a few days touring the area. Did you know that John Wayne filmed a number of movies there and then would come back to Mazatlan for some deep sea fishing?
This new highway really opens things up to RVer’s. It is only two easy travel days to Monterrey! Are you listening Chris and Juan?
Colin found a place to stop and take this shot of el Puente Baluarte.
Colin stopped on the side of the road to get this shot.
Colin was so taken by the way this road was built, that we went a few miles to find a turn around and came back to take this shot. Notice how the road surface is twisted.
The inside of the longest tunnel, over a mile long. Colin just pulled over and got out in middle of the road to get this shot. The tunnel goes up and then down and also curves. Quite a job to build this.
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I see they’ve discovered tunnel boring machines! Almost thought I was in Slovenia or souther Austria for a second there. Well, except for the vegetation!
Bob….is that what they used, we had no idea. Good for Mexico.
Peter…yes exactly, the engineering is superb. It did take five years to build that highway and just maybe one day, you will drive it.
Awesome engeneering! Nice post. Mexico is really ramping things up, good to see.
Hola,
Loved your blog today about the Mazatlan/Durango Highway. Back in 1993 five of us went by bus from Mazatlan – staying
at Mar Rosa at the time – only made it to Salto – bus ride took a lot longer than expected. We overnighted in a hotel –
very cold – and I had brought a bunch of sweaters to give to some of the Mexicans, which we used while up there.
Always remember the young Mexican girls giggling at us as we were wearing our runners and they were in high heels, on
these terrible sidewalks. It was an adventure.
On another trip we came in to Durango from Zacatecas and enjoyed the museums – film studios, etc.
Another time we drove just up to the Devils’ Spine with friends in our car and then stopped for Banana Cream Pie
on the way back at Copala. Lots of furniture for display at Concordia also.
Thanks for the memories,
cheers,
Gisele, I so appreciate you sharing your memories. Colin and I have purchased all of our plant pots in Kelowna from Concordia and Copala. Maybe one year you and Gunther will fly down and join us and Hannalore and Peter.
Amazing road. Nice that you got to check it out.
Longdog…we really did want to check it out as we might actually be coming thru Texas next year. Colin’s Mom will turn 100 the end of October and of course we want to be there if she is still alive so we will likely be coming your way very early next November and driving that very road to Mazatlan via Durango.
Love those pictures Contessa.
Gracias Larry. I’m hopping that the new highway might help you reconsider a trip this way once again.
Such marvellous engineering and wonderful sights to see thanks for sharing.
George,it truly was great to see but it was a long time in the car with no stops. It would be much more comfortable in an RV. Glad you enjoyed the trip:)
Your pictures are great and the road between Durango and Mazatlan is a marvel – we drove it in January and it was such a pleasure. Can’t say enough good things about it and the time is saves on that trip and also want mention how much safer it is to drive and RV that way no matter the size.
Sandy I wish I had know that you had driven the road, I would have interviewed you for a blog about it. Glad you got to experience it.
Opps…. Make that “an RV”!
Cute pictures of the ‘girls’… and WOW that road and those tunnels and bridges are something else…
Dolores…it really is a great new road!
Chris….milles gracias mi amigo….never mind other forums…just use that darn road and get here!! I can only chill the vodka for so long!
We hear you loud and clear! You did a great trip report. This should be shared on a couple of forums. What great views. You guys did it again!
It was great to see someone else’s photos of the highway. Well done and good commentary about the details of the day’s adventure. Just seems like it all happened yesterday. Thanks for sharing!