Arroyo Potrerillos Airport

While no official reason has been published, the airport's location is the primary indicator. It is situated in the municipality of Tamazula, Durango, a key area within Mexico's 'Triángulo Dorado' (Golden Triangle), a region historically known for extensive drug cultivation and cartel operations. Small, remote, and unmonitored airstrips in this area are frequently used as clandestine 'narco-pistas' (narco-airstrips) for trafficking drugs, weapons, and money. It is highly probable that the airport was either forcibly closed and rendered unusable by the Mexican military (SEDENA) as part of a counter-narcotics campaign, or it was abandoned by its operators due to increased military presence and security risks in the region.

The site is completely abandoned. Current satellite imagery confirms the airstrip is in a state of total disrepair. The dirt runway is overgrown with grass and shrubs, making it unsafe and unusable for any type of aircraft. There are no buildings, hangars, or any supporting infrastructure visible at the site. The land appears to be unused and is slowly being reclaimed by the surrounding natural environment.

Arroyo Potrerillos was a small, private general aviation airstrip with a single dirt runway (~3,300 ft). Its significance was purely logistical, providing air access to an extremely remote and rugged part of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, a region largely inaccessible by road. When active, it would have handled small, single-engine propeller aircraft such as Cessna 206s or similar models capable of short, unimproved field takeoffs and landings. Operations likely served local ranches, mining exploration activities, or private individuals. However, given the strategic location, it almost certainly played a role, willingly or unwillingly, in the illicit logistics network of cartels operating in the Golden Triangle.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Arroyo Potrerillos Airport. The significant security challenges in the region, combined with the airstrip's remote location and lack of any economic driver for legitimate aviation, make its redevelopment highly improbable. Any attempt to clear or use the runway would likely attract immediate and unwanted attention from Mexican federal and military authorities. For all practical purposes, the airport is considered permanently closed.