Copper Canyon, Mexico

Copper Canyon: Bigger Than the Grand Canyon, Receiving 1% of Its Visitors

The Barrancas del Cobre in Chihuahua, Mexico, is a canyon system formed by the Rio Fuerte and its tributaries in the Sierra Madre Occidental. It consists of six major canyons covering around 65,000 square kilometres. The deepest points exceed 1,800 metres. By comparison, the Grand Canyon is 446 kilometres long and 1,857 metres deep at its deepest. Copper Canyon has more total volume, more topographic variety, and in most years receives approximately 1 percent of the Grand Canyon’s visitors.

The name comes from the greenish copper-coloured lichen covering the canyon walls in places. The system is home to the Raramuri (Tarahumara) people, who have lived here since before European contact and are known for extraordinary long-distance running across canyon terrain that would disable most other runners within hours.

El Chepe: The Train

The El Chepe (Chihuahua al Pacifico) railway is the primary reason most visitors come. Running 655 kilometres from Chihuahua city in the east to Los Mochis on the Pacific coast, it crosses 37 bridges, passes through 86 tunnels, and climbs from sea level to 2,400 metres before descending through the canyon. The full journey takes around 15 to 16 hours. Most serious travellers break it into 3 to 4 days with stops at El Divisadero, Creel, and Batopilas.

An express service (El Chepe Express) runs tourist-class with reserved seats and food service (around 3,000 to 5,000 MXN for the full route). The regional train is cheaper but slower. Both originate from either end; Los Mochis departures are early morning to catch daylight through the best canyon sections. Book seats in advance, particularly from October through April when demand is highest.

El Divisadero

At 2,400 metres, this is the main viewpoint stop where even the regional train pauses for 20 minutes. The canyon drops 1,800 metres directly in front of you, the cliff face visible from the platform. A zipline from the rim operates for around 1,500 to 2,000 MXN for a 2.5-kilometre run above the canyon.

Creel

The main traveller hub: a small mountain town at 2,338 metres with hotels, restaurants, gear rental, and tour operators. The 25-kilometre drive to Arareko Lake passes eroded volcanic rock formations and Raramuri communities. A local guide from the guesthouses adds cultural dimension that self-guided visits miss.

Batopilas

140 kilometres from Creel by a road that descends 1,800 metres in 80 kilometres. The descent takes 3 to 4 hours. Batopilas sits at 510 metres in the canyon bottom, in a semi-tropical climate completely different from the pine forests above – a different altitude, a different season, almost a different country. The town was a major silver mining centre in the colonial era; ruins of the haciendas and the Satevo Mission (reachable only on foot or mule) remain. Accommodation is basic; the Copper Canyon Riverside Lodge is the main option.

The Raramuri

The Raramuri are approximately 70,000 people living across the canyon system, many in remote locations accessible only on foot or horse. They are not a tourist spectacle; they are a living community. Respectful engagement – buying directly from Raramuri artisans selling pine needle baskets and textiles in Creel or El Divisadero – is appropriate. Entering villages or photographing people without invitation and permission is not.

Practicalities

The Cascadas de Basaseachi, Mexico’s second-highest waterfall at 246 metres, is a 2-hour drive north of Creel. November through February is the best weather window: cool at altitude, mild at the canyon bottom, dry season. Altitude at Creel and El Divisadero affects some visitors; carry water and allow a day to adjust before vigorous activity. Chihuahua city is the eastern gateway with flight connections from Mexico City.