Cosalá, Sinaloa, Pueblo Mágico!
Day Trip North / 99 miles / How to get to Cosala from Mazatlan

North El Quelite | La Noria | Meseta de Cacaxtla and Barras de Piaxtla

Las Labradas Petroglyphs | San Ignacio | Lake El Salto | Cosala

Reserva Nuestra Señora Mundo Natural | Durango

South Concordia | Copala | El Rosario | Playa el Caimanero | Teacapan

Islands near Mazatlan Stone Island | Deer and Goat Islands | Bird Island




Slightly further afield than our other recommended Mazatlan day trips (99 miles), Cosala, Sinaloa, Mexico -- a Pueblo Magico -- is a remarkable mining town that dates from 1550, and one of the most spectacular of the day trips around Mazatlan Mexico.

Cosala -- formally Real de Minas de Nuestra Señora de las Once Mil Vírgenes de Cosalá (Royal Mines of Our Lady of the 11,000 Virgins of Cosalá) -- is nestled in the Sierra Madre mountains at an altitude of just over 1200 feet, and is without doubt one of the most beautiful villages in Sinaloa State, and one of the best and most popular Mazatlan day trips.

A day trip to Cosala is a continuous delight. Time seems to have stopped in Cosala. Every street in Cosala is a step back in time, and many Mazatlan day trippers find themselves very sad to leave Cosala at the end of the day!

Cosala was actually the capital of Estado de Occidente (also known as Sonora y Sinaloa), the massive Western State of Mexico that was created in 1824 and dissolved in 1830, an expansive area that included both modern-day Sinaloa and Sonora states.

Francisco Iriarte y Conde -- the first governor of Estado de Occidente -- declared Cosala the capital in 1826 due to the fact that the existing capital, El Fuerte to the north, was under threat of attack by the forces of Juan Banderas, the leader of the Yaqui indians at that point during the generations-long Yaqui Wars.

Cosala was at that time very wealthy, primarily from revenue from the mines, and it was in Cosala that the first Sinaloan newspaper, El Imparcial, was published.

Today Cosala has a population of just under 7,000 people, with another 10,000 residing in various pueblos in the surrounding municipio of Cosala.

In 2005 Cosala was named a Pueblo Magico by the Mexican Federal Government in recognition of its natural beauty, present day cultural riches, and historical importance.

Within town, Cosala has many top rated sightseeing attractions for those on Mazatlan day trips, such as the museum of Minerology -- a very well done modern museum with excellent displays documenting the history of mining in Sinaloa.

The central plaza in Cosala, Plaza de Armas, has a 1800s gazebo that often has a band, and a 19th-century horse drawn carriage is available for tours of Cosala. Vendors ply this lovely colonial plaza selling juices, home made candies and food.

The cobbled streets of central Cosala are lined with beautiful old Sinaloa buildings, and many natives of Cosala believe that some of them -- particularly the Hernandez Arragon House, on Hidalgo Street -- have ghosts: if you see a woman dressed in white by the Arragon House late at night, don't be surprised.

The architecture that you experience visiting Cosala is perfectly suited to the local environment, with thick adobe walls and shaded courtyards that keep the homes a pleasant temperature year-round.

And then, of course, there is the beautiful and unforgettable 18th century Cosala church, the Santa Ursula Temple, one of the finest examples of a colonial-era Sinaloa Catholic church. Named after the Patron Saint of the town, the foundation of the earliest church on the site were laid in the early 1600s and most of what you see today dates from the late 1700s.

Beautifully maintained and still the heart of Catholic belief and worship in Cosala and surrounding communities within the Municipio, Santa Ursula Temple is a must-visit on any day trip to Cosala.

Majestic and mysterious, the church has colonial-era tunnels that connect it to some of the nearby homes of the Cosala's most important colonial era residents.

Dining in Cosala is a treat. Cosalteca gastronomy is rich, varied and reflects the best of Rural Sinaloa cuisine. Much of it sweet and featuring cane and all its by-products. Candied fruits, sweet breads, pies and dulce de leche are prominent, with spicy machaca, chorizo, cheese, tamales and regional Sinaloan dishes to delight a tang-lovers palate.

Restaurants in Cosala offer day trippers a nice range of dining choices -- beyond delicious street food -- with El Pueblito, El Portal de Los Mineros and La Cabana de Don Polo often recommended by visitors.

The area around Cosala is rich in history and beautiful scenery, and there are several attraction just outside Cosala that are very much worth visiting on a day trip.

• Reserva Nuestra Señora Mundo Natural is an exceptional eco-reserve close to Cosala known worldwide for its biodiversity. Designated a preserved ecological area in 2002, it is a terrific spot for hiking and getting close to the local flora and fauna including amazing green macaws and a wide range of other exotic tropical birds. Learn much more about this spectacular Sinaloa eco-tourism destination!

Video of the Vado Hondo waterfalls outside Cosala



• The Vado Hondo park is home to three waterfalls (El Salto, La Cueva and Petro) and numerous natural pools. Located only ten minutes outside Cosala, it is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation.

• A bit further than Vado Hondo -- about half an hour -- the natural hot springs of San Jose de las Bocas are not only deliciously relaxing, but considered to have healing properties.

• Caudal del Arroyo del Sabinal is a large natural pool fed by three waterfalls, making it a perfect place for a picnic.

• There is terrific freshwater fishing under fifteen miles from Cosala in the massive resevoir created by the José López Portillo dam.

• La Gruta is a enormous cave that containes giant stalactites and stalagmites located northeast of Cosala, at the top of a hill named Palmar de Fonseca.

Video about Cosala, Sinaloa, Mexico



Make Cosala, Pueblo Magico, your next Mazatlan day trip and experience the magic!

Dining in Cosala on a day trip is a joy, and three restaurants in Cosala have earned recommendations from Mazatlan day trippers:

El Portal de Los Mineros / Traditional Mexican food

Avenida Camaron Miguel Hidalgo 92 / Centro

Telephone 696 965 0170

El Pueblito / Traditional Mexican food

Avenida Rosales / Centro

Telephone 969 965 1039

La Cabana de Don Polo / Seafood and steaks

Avenida 5 de Mayo

Telephone 969 965 0913

Cosala Day Trip Directions

To begin Mazatlan day trips to Cosala head 68 miles northwest on Highway 15 to the Cosala turn off (opposite the turn off to La Cruz de Alota on the coast). Turn inland (right) and simply proceed 31 miles up into the beautiful Sierra Madre foothills to Cosala!

GPS N24°24'45" W106°41'30"

• DOWNLOAD COSALA DAY TRIP MAP AND DIRECTIONS

• ACCESS ALL RURAL SINALOA MEXICO MAPS

cosala.gob.mx



Cosala Street map from Google Maps



Facts and figures about Cosala, Sinaloa, Mexico

• Cosala was founded in 1550.

• Cosala is located in the municipality (municipio) of Cosala, and is its capital.

• Cosala sits at an elevation of about 1350 feet above sea level.

• The population of Cosala is slightly over 6500.

• El Imparcial, first published in Cosala in the early 1800s, was the first newspaper published in Sinaloa State.

• The telephone area code for Cosala is 696, same as San Ignacio and Barras de Piaxtla.

• The postal code for Cosala is 80700.