Getting there: If you're flying, go to Monterrey and take a taxi approximately an hour north to Hidalgo. But driving isn't as nightmarish as the rumors would have you believe. From I-35 in Texas, cross the border at Laredo, then take Mex. 85 South from Nuevo Laredo. Take that to Monterrey, pick up Mex. 40/54, then get on Mex. 53 to Hidalgo. The way to the Potrero is clearly marked from town.
Border Crossing: Check with the Mexican embassy to see what paperwork you'll need. As soon as you get through the border and into the town of Nuevo Laredo, go to the government building to pick up a visa and a car pass. The way is pretty well marked with signs.
Where to stay: Pitch your tent on Homero's Ranch and enjoy Mexican hospitality for just U.S. $3 per person per night. Or try Rancho Cerro Gordo, which is owned and run by Americans and has campsites and 75 casitas. Rancho Cerro Gordo is newer, cushier, and more expensive than Homero's, but both have all the necessities: toilets, showers, and a place to wash pots and pans.
Forgot your harness? You can buy basic gear at the Deposito on the way into the Potrero, or at Rancho Cerro Gordo.
Other things to do: Four-wheel-drive trails, cattle-packed single-track, and wide-open desert make for great mountain biking. You can also check out the hot springs in La Rufrosa Mission, as well as Hidalgo's open-air markets and its beautifully ornate graveyard.
Look out for:
1. Rockfall. Keep your helmet on — the valley's high winds can dislodge a rock just as easily as another climber.
2. Biting things. Watch where you put your hands and feet — you might be sticking them into the home of a rattlesnake, scorpion, or tarantula.
Where are you going?
What do you want to do?
