The city of Banámichi, Sonora, Mexico founded in 1639
by Jesuit missionaries lies in the valley of the Rio Sonora
- the Sonora River. The river rises in Cananea and flows south
to Hermosillo. The highway that parallels the river is designated
a scenic route, the Ruta del Rio Sonora. With the foothills
of the Sierra Madre to the east and mountains to the west,
the road rises high in up the valley walls and drops back
to the river.
Banámichi is filled with colonial architecture. The
Nuestro Senora de Loreto Temple faces the town plaza. Construction
of the church began in the 1600s with updates as late as the
1940s. The town park features a statue of four Opata warriors,
the areas original inhabitants, holding aloft the ancient
Piedra Historica, a petroglyph believed to be an irrigation
map.
Banámichi is a farming and ranching community, home
to friendly people, great weather, bird watching, archeological
sites and nearby hot springs. Fiestas, horseback riding, cart
rides and more. A perfect getaway just 135 miles south of
Bisbee, Arizona.
