A remote patch of high desert in the Bolson de Mapimi where local legend holds that radio signals mysteriously fail, the Zona del Silencio sits within the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-recognized zone of dunes, gypsum flats, and rare desert wildlife including the bolson tortoise. A 1970 stray-rocket incident and reports of nearby meteorite fragments have added to its folklore reputation, but the reserve itself is a genuine scientific research site.
How to get there
- Rental car to Ceballos, then a local guided 4x4 tour into the desert reserve
- Organized day or overnight tour from Durango city or Torreon covering the biosphere reserve and meteorite site
- Private driver for the full round trip from Durango
- No public bus service reaches the reserve itself
Location
Ceballos-Zona del Silencio road, Mapimi Municipality, Durango
26.6830, -103.7500 View on map
Highlights
- Dunas de Bilbao gypsum sand dunes
- Desert flora and fauna found only in the Chihuahuan Desert, including the endangered bolson tortoise
- Local guide talks on the area's meteorite history and biosphere research
- Stark, empty desert landscapes far from any town