Bacoachi, Sonora

Bacoachi, Sonora, Mexico

Bacoachi (pronounced Bah – coh – atch – ee) is a small town that is the administrative seat of the municipality that shares its name. The municipality of Bacoachi has approximately 2200 residents, and about two-thirds of them reside in the town of Bacoachi.

The region was originally inhabited by the Opata Teguima people, who called the settlement Cuchibaciachi, which means “water snake.”

Bacoachi was founded in 1649 by Spanish colonial Captain Simón Lazo de la Vega. It is located south of the city of Cananea, in the northernmost part of the route of the Rio Sonora.

Situated at an altitude of 4,429 feet above sea level, Bacoachi is in the mountainous region known as the Sierra Madre Occidental of Sonora.

The town has a nice plaza that adjoins a red-brick mission church, the Temple of San Miguel the Archangel. The temple was originally built in 1670, and was completely renovated in the early part of the 20th century.

There is also a historic ranch near Bachoachi, where Ronald Reagan and other celebrities would vacation. The Cerro Colorado Ranch is now a tourist destination and a unique place to stay while enjoying the natural beauty and history of the Sierra Madre Occidental.