Pinos was a silver town before most of Mexico had towns at all. Founded in the late sixteenth century, after silver was found in the hills, it grew into an important mining centre on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the royal road that ran north from Mexico City toward Santa Fe in New Mexico, carrying silver south and supplies and settlers north. The town is part of the UNESCO listing of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, and it is also a designated Pueblo Mágico, with colonial churches, cobbled streets and old mining buildings.
The town sits high in the mountains of south-eastern Zacatecas, well above two thousand metres, and its streets climb steeply up the hillsides. The churches, including the parish church of San Matías and the chapel in the old Tlaxcalan quarter, founded by indigenous settlers brought from central Mexico, are worth a look, and the views from the hills over the town and the surrounding plains are wide. Pinos is also known for its mezcal, produced in old haciendas around the area from agave grown on the dry slopes.
Riding to Pinos means climbing from the altiplano through hills and valleys, with long views, winding roads and occasional rough patches. The roads are mostly paved but can have potholes, loose gravel and, as everywhere in rural Mexico, topes that demand your full attention. Traffic is light, but expect trucks, buses and wandering animals. The altitude makes nights cold, even in summer.
Pinos is a town of more than five thousand people, with fuel, food and basic accommodation. Small restaurants serve local dishes like asado de boda, a rich pork stew in a red chile sauce traditionally served at weddings, and gorditas filled with everything from beans to chicharrón. Try a glass of local mezcal, of course only when the riding is done for the day.
Come in the dry season, from October to April, when skies are clear and days warm. The rainy season, from June to September, brings afternoon storms that can make roads slippery and cut visibility. Late afternoon is the hour for Pinos, when the light softens, the domes glow against the hills and the plaza fills with families and ice cream.