San Francisco de Yoquivo Airport

The closure was likely due to a combination of factors. Primarily, it was rendered inoperable by Mexican authorities to prevent its use for illicit purposes. The Sierra Madre Occidental region, including the Ocampo municipality, is known for drug cultivation and trafficking, and remote, unsupervised airstrips are frequently used by cartels. The presence of large, dug-out 'X' marks and trenches across the runway is clear physical evidence of intentional disabling by military or law enforcement. This was likely compounded by economic reasons, such as the decline of specific local mining or logging operations that may have relied on the strip, or the improvement of ground transportation, making the airstrip obsolete.

The airport is permanently closed and completely abandoned. Satellite imagery of the coordinates (28.0781, -108.03672) shows a clearly defined but derelict dirt runway. The surface is heavily eroded and overgrown with vegetation. Most notably, the runway has been intentionally rendered unusable with large 'X's and at least one deep trench dug across its width. There are no remaining buildings, hangars, or any aviation infrastructure at the site. The location has effectively reverted to a natural, unusable state.

San Francisco de Yoquivo was a small, unpaved general aviation airstrip located on a remote mesa. Its primary significance was providing vital air access to a rugged and geographically isolated area of the Sierra Tarahumara. When active, it served several key functions:
- **Support for Mining:** The Ocampo region is a historic gold and silver mining district. The airstrip was likely used to transport personnel, high-value equipment, and for emergency medical evacuations for nearby mining operations.
- **Community Access:** It provided a critical link for the small, scattered communities and ranches in the area, allowing for the transport of people, mail, and essential supplies.
- **General Aviation:** It served private pilots and small charter operations requiring access to this remote region for ranching, hunting, or tourism.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the San Francisco de Yoquivo Airport. Given its remote location, its complete state of disrepair, and the fact that it was deliberately disabled by authorities for security reasons, a reopening is highly improbable. Any future need for air service in the immediate area would almost certainly require the construction of a new, modern, and secure facility rather than the costly and complex restoration of this abandoned site.