Ures

Ures is a small town in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains in the Northern Mexico state of Sonora. There are natural areas nearby with canyons and the Rio Sonora, and some fascinating history with great stories to tell. It is a relaxing place to enjoy small-town Northern Mexico and is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Mágicos.

Understand
Ures is a small town of about 4,000, though the population swells to almost 8,500 (2020) if you count rural residents who live in the surrounding municipality (county). It's a small town, but the only place for many miles if you need traveler services. The town lies within the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains at an elevation of 420 meters (1378 feet). The Sonora River runs along the north side of town and Ures is the southernmost point on the Ruta de Rio Sonora, an official tourism route sponsored by the State of Sonora.

History
Jesuit missionaries established a mission in Ures in 1636. During the 19th century, Apache indians fled U.S. cavalry troops in Arizona and moved into mountainous areas near Ures.

During the French incursions of the tumultuous 19th century, a nearby village (part of the Ures municipality) was the site of a battle between a Sinaloa-Sonora army of Mexican nationalists and an imperialist army supporting French interlopers during the Second French Intervention. Known as the Battle of Guadalupe, on September 5, 1866, Mexican nationalists routed about 1,000 troops of the imperialist army, capturing 4 cannons, killing over 40 imperialist troops and pursuing with machetes those fleeing the battle (those nationalists weren't messing around!).

Nobody walking around the town today would ever imagine the place to be a state capital, yet Ures served in that capacity not once, but three times. First in 1823 for just one year. Then again from 1838 to 1842. Finally, the longest period was 32 years, from 1847 to 1879, which helps explain why the imperialist troops would want to occupy what otherwise seems to our modern eyes as a sleepy, mostly agricultural community.

By plane
The nearest airport is Hermosillo International Airport. Taxis from Hermosillo will take just over an hour to reach Ures.

By car
From Hermosillo, drive northeast on federal highway MEX-14. Ures is 52 km from Hermosillo and the trip will take about 75 minutes.

From the United States, cross the border between Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta, Sonora, then drive south on federal highway MEX-17, which will become MEX-14 around Moctezuma and continue directly to Ures. The 300-km trip from Agua Prieta will take about 4 hours.

By bus
Ures is served only by second-class regional buses.



Get around
The town is very small and compact and most of the tourist sites are within a few blocks of the main square (Plaza Zaragoza). If you need a taxi to reach outlying areas, there is a sitio in front of St. Michael Archangel church.

See








Eat
Regional cuisine that you may find in Ures include coyotas, panocha (a sugar cane pudding), and jamoncillo, a candy made from can sugar and evaporated milk.

Go next

 * Ruta de Rio Sonora - 250 km driving tour of several small colonial towns, including Ures
 * Hermosillo
 * Bahía de Kino
 * Guaymas