Throughout the 1800s, in the wake of the California Gold Rush, El Triunfo, and its surrounding communities drew miners from throughout Mexico and the United States, all looking to cash in on the region’s abundant gold and silver. In its heyday, it was the largest – and by far the most prosperous – town in Baja Californa Sur, a vibrant industry hub home to roughly 10,000 residents.

But when the mines were shut down in 1926, most were left to seek opportunities elsewhere. While the town returned to its sleepy origins, what remains has become one the best-preserved mining towns in orth America – a portal to a more wild past, when vaqueros once roamed streets quite literally paved with gold.