has anyone taken the route, length, time, condition?

Be specific please- dirt or asphalt ?roads of good quality or a collection of rough tracks to test your extreme sports mettle, pushing the envelope etc etc.??
If ASPHALT and good gravel : you have a choice of the least roundabout route north from Creel to Mex 16 with the option of taking the excellent gravel shortcut from San Juanito to Basaseachic and Mex 16 across the Cerro Prieta, west to the junction of Mex 12 and that road south to Mex 15 junction just at north edge of Cd Obregon, then Mex 15 south to Los Mochis. Great roads all even for a pure streetbike . If you start real early you can do this in a day, but 2 days makes for a much more relaxed and enjoyable ride. Don't be fooled by the apparent short distances on a map- Mex 16 has serious curves.
The other option on pavement is to go south from Creel , then Mex 24 east to Hidalgo Del Parral and then down to Durango on Mex 45 and Mex 40 ( CURVES ) to Mex 15 and Mazatlan and back north to Los Mochis. Again all excellent pavement and takes at least two days, but more days is better so you can stop to enjoy the scenery or explore side roads and villages.Either route and you will have hotel choices at regular intervals.
In this second option you could take an alternate route by going south from Hgo del Parral about 126km then turn WEST on paved road to Santa Maria Del Oro and Cienegas de Escobar- beuatiful road thru sierras . At Cga.Escobar go south on Mex 23 and you wind up back on Mex 45 to Durango.
Al these roads are very scenic high country, not hot, and not advisable during Dec- March on a bike because of chance of cold and snow in the sierras.
Been there , love these roads. I leave it to the extreme dirt afficianados to fill you in on the shorter but no less time consuming dirt/ off road options.

__________________
http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

Can you tell me if the road from Creel to Samachic to San Pablo Balleza is paved. My maps show it as a secondary road and i'm not sure if it would be paved all the way to Parral, i finally found a small map and i think this is hwy 23.

Sorry I missed this post last week. Yes the road you describe is all paved , excellent route scenic high country with canyon crossings, pine forest then descending to high grassland with ranching.. I think I already recommended it to you several weeks ago, overtime 101. This is the route which connects to Mex 24 to Hidalgo del Parral then Mex 45. Good hotels in Guachochi,Balleza and Hgo.del Parral
The Samachic you mention is really a small village off to the side on dirt road just off the entry road to Batoplilas, not any major town with tourist services..

__________________
http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

As usual Sjoerd has it all covered

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Hi Pat, .It will probably be next year spring or later before I get around to a new version. After this past winter's trips I have a lot of updating of hotels and adding new ones in more places. Can't get much typewriter time in during summer, weather's too nice to sit inside. Two weeks ago spent a week touring around gravel bush roads in Northern Ontario on the KLR, no internet cafes to be found .
Cheers.

__________________
http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93