Over the almost 35 years that we have been driving to Los Cabos from Colorado, we have wondered about the small town just south of La Paz – El Triunfo. In the early 1990s, it looked like a ghost town. Most of the buildings were abandoned and in disrepair. El Triunfo was at one time the capital of Baja California Sur. During its hay day of silver and gold mining, there were over 10,000 miners working to extract, mill and smelt the ore from dozens of mining locations. Today, there are 327 residents.

During those drives over the past 10 years, we have seen the rejuvenation, renovation and rebuilding of El Triunfo. Now, the main street is largely restored. The Museo de Ruta Plata (silver route) is in a great complex with exhibits, restaurants, interactive galleries and an event space. The City Hall is completely restored. There is a historical church on the north end of town. There are now seven restaurants – primarily Mexican – that serve breakfast and lunch to the residents and visitors alike. There is an ice cream parlor with an ice cream street vendor right across the street. While seven years ago there was nowhere to stay in town, there are now several places – Cabanas El Triunfo, Jimmy and Yudi’s Place. Quinta Real de Oro.

Thanks to entrepreneurs like Jose Castellanos, there are now a series of experiences for visitor to enjoy during their day trip or overnight stay – zip lines, horseback riding, guided tours, a gold mine – Tunel de las Almas – to visit and ATV tours. The famous smokestack – La Ramona – that can be seen from anywhere is El Triunfo has been restored, with people buying bricks to support it. And of course, there are lots of hiking trails and dirt roads through La Ruta de Plata. It is wonderful to see such an important historical and cultural town in Baja California Sur come back to life.