It may not look like it, but my knees are shaking (photo by Alejandra Villalobos Palacio)

photo by Alejandra Villalobos Palacio

In El Fuerte, at the Western terminus of the train, we stayed at the historic Posada del Hidalgo. Besides its authenticity and charm, it is also reputed to be the birthplace and home of the legendary Zorro. Local lore has it that his ghost makes nocturnal visits to single women staying at the hotel. None of the single women on our trip owned up to any such spectral visitations, but they had smiles on their faces the next morning. I know it wasn’t my jokes.

The Hotel Divisadero is also located on the rim of the canyon. Just a hundred yards or so from the Hotel Mirador, the views are pretty much the same and the accommodations are similar.

The Lodge at Creel — in Creel, of course — and the Hotel San Francisco in the heart of Chihuahua’s downtown district are comfortable and conveniently located.