Durango has a great Wild West movie set, it even lent its name to a film, and there is a notable connection with John Wayne. There are few places more “Indians and cowboys” than Durango, but this place is charming.
The Wild West will take you to have a good time among tall, vertical rock formations. In addition, the Sierra is located on the outskirts of the border between the state of Durango and Zacatecas, with a real Wild West landscape.
It is a small natural reserve and without a doubt our favorite in Mexico so far. The climate is perfect, there is a large camping area that will make you remember the Wild West since it has been used for cowboy films from Hollywood during the peak of the genre.
Here, among the plains, mountains and canyons, is Rancho La Joya. The extensive estate once belonged to the Duke himself: John Wayne. It was both a filming location and a personal Mexican hideout between films.
Today it is a remote and visited attraction. There are acres of landscapes, streams and canyons to explore, where you almost expect to see a line of Sioux headdresses appearing over a distant ridge line. The urban set is starting to deteriorate a bit now and needs some maintenance, but it still feels full of Hollywood history.
It is fascinating to walk through the saloon and storefront facades, imagining a 1960s Wayne walking into the saloon in his inimitable way and challenging the villain (always dressed in black!) to a gunfight.
In fact, Durango has in its history more than 150 feature films shot in the state, in various locations among which Paseo del Viejo Oeste stands out. A setting for dozens of films, it was built in the 1960s, and it was not until 1971 that the first major production called “Odio en las Praderas” was filmed with Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte.
From then on, a streak of spectacular films shot in this setting began.
For more than a decade, this old film set has become a theme park, where you can enjoy restaurants, souvenir shops, carriage rides, horse rentals, and photo opportunities with cowboy costumes.
Of course, you cannot miss the spectacular western show in which visitors can take part and live their own Wild West-style movie.
Paseo del Viejo Oeste
Where: Puente Carretera a Parral Km 12, 34000 Durango.
When: Saturdays and Sundays shows at 13:30, 15:30 and 17:30 hours. Holiday period: Monday to Friday 14:30 and 16:30 hours; Saturdays and Sundays 13:30, 15:30 and 17:30 hours.
Cost: Over 10 years old $50. Children 3 to 10 years old $30.
Children under 3 years old free entry.
Source: mxc
