Name and Location

El Faro de Mazatlán, also known as the Faro del Cerro del Vigía (or Crestón), is a historic navigational light situated at the entrance to Mazatlán Bay in Mexico. Its address is Vía Sin Nombre, Cerro del Vigía (Crestón), 82000 Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. The coordinates are 23°10′39.4″ N, 106°25′38.9″ W.

2. Construction and History

El Faro de Mazatlán was constructed in 1879 to replace earlier beacons, improving safe passage into Mazatlán Bay, then an emerging Pacific port. The lighthouse was converted to automatic operation in the mid-20th century, with no resident keepers since.

3. Architecture and Materials

The tower is a small cylindrical structure (approximately 10 meters tall) attached to a one-story service building. The architecture style is functional maritime, with minimal ornamentation. The materials used are stone masonry and concrete for the tower, metal lantern room, and white exterior finish.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse has a focal plane of approximately 157 meters above mean sea level (natural hill elevation), with a tower height of around 10 meters above the roof of the keeper's house. The light characteristic is one white flash every six seconds (Fl W 6 s). The nominal range is around 15 nautical miles (28 kilometers).

5. Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can access the site via a steep hiking trail (over 600 steps) originating at Luis Donaldo Colosio Park. There is no admission fee, but visitors are generally not permitted inside the tower lantern room. The recommended hours for visiting are during daylight hours for safety.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

From the top of Cerro del Vigía, visitors enjoy a 360-degree panorama: panoramic views of Mazatlán's historic center, beachfront Malecón and Golden Zone resorts; expansive vistas of Mazatlán Bay and its shipping lanes; and natural enclaves of coastal scrub, cacti, and native shrubs.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Local lore suggests that in the early 20th century, lighthouse keepers signaled incoming vessels with semaphore flags on clear days. A legend claims that the summit was once a lookout for privateers; however, historical evidence is inconclusive (speculative).

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is managed by the Secretaría de Marina (Mexican Navy) and serves as an active coastal beacon in IALA Region B, listed in national nautical publications. The chart reference is the Mexican Hydrographic Office chart for Mazatlán Bay (volume "Pacífico Noroccidente").

9. Further Information

For further reading, refer to the Spanish Wikipedia article on El Faro de Mazatlán, the Secretaría de Marina Nautical Publications, and local guidebooks such as the Mazatlán Tourism Board official brochure.