Experience Copper Canyon

One of the most breath-taking travel experiences Mexico has on offer is the Barranca de Cobre – Copper Canyon – an area of outstanding natural beauty situated in north-western Mexico.

The ‘Copper Canyon’ is actually a series of twenty canyons, formed over the years by six rivers.  The area is some seven times the size of the Grand Canyon, and has distinct topography, flora and fauna to Arizona’s premier natural wonder.

The most popular – and best – way to travel into the canyon is by making use of the remarkable railway which traverses this rugged wilderness.  Opened in 1961 following decades of construction, the line is an extraordinary feat of engineering in its own right.

The railway line was originally devised to connect the commercial Pacific sea port at Los Mochis to the central colonial city of Chihuahua.   An astounding feature of the line is that it begins at near-sea level on the Pacific coast, rises to an altitude of over 8,000 feet and then declines again to an altitude of around 2,500 feet.  The incline of a railway track cannot exceed fifteen degrees, so to accomplish the ‘climb and descent’ the engineers needed to construct bridges, burrow many tunnels through the mountains and use ‘switch-back’ stages in order to complete the route.  By the time the line was finished, engineers had laid over 390 miles of railway track crossing thirty-nine bridges and traversing eighty-six tunnels: the longest bridge runs for a quarter-mile, and the longest tunnel for nearly a mile.

Two first-class trains begin the journey across the canyon daily: one starting in Chihuahua City and the other in Los Mochis.  They meet, roughly half-way, near Divisadero station, which is also where most of the canyon hotels, lodges and tours are based from.

The most scenic and dramatic areas of the canyon are on the west side of the canyon so, to take advantage of the daylight, it’s generally accepted that the train traveling west to east, from Los Mochis towards Chihuahua, is a better sight-seeing option than the one traveling east to west.

Although the train journey begins in Los Mochis, most tour visitors board the train at its first main stop situated in the beautiful colonial town of El Fuerte.  Los Mochis is an industrial port city without much to offer travelers, so it’s best to fly there and take the hour-or-so road trip to El Fuerte, stay at least one night, and board the Copper Canyon train from there.  When you arrange your visit to the canyon via tour company, there will be a driver and vechicle waiting to meet you at the airport.

You can take the train straight through to Chihuahua City and simply see the canyon ‘in passing’ on the train.  However, to properly experience the canyons, and get the most out of a visit to the region, explore the various tours on offer and arrange to stay at one of the hotels or eco-lodges in the canyon itself and, from there, participate in some of the wonderful outdoor activities on offer.

Mexperience is pleased to be working with five well-established and highly experienced tour companies specializing in Mexico’s Copper Canyon.  Each one offers a unique perspective on the way it introduces clients to the canyons and there’s very likely an operator that suits your personal travel preferences among the selection:

S & S Tours LLC: Sue Stilwell specializes in year-round small group learning adventure tours and custom itineraries for individuals.

Canyon Travel: Canyon Travel offers in-depth and flexible travel programs which feature private lodges and experiences away from mass tourism.

Amigo Trails / 3 Amigos: Offer a wide range of adventure activities including hiking, bike riding, exploration trips, flights and other outdoor activities.

Canyon Paradise: Offers ‘off-the-tourist-trail’ tours of the Canyon and the Paraiso Nature Reserve with added emphasis on the traditional world of shamans and sobadores (bone healers) in the Canyon.

California Native: Offers a full range of itineraries in the canyon from small group deluxe escorted tours to worry-free adventures designed with the independent traveler in mind.

For detailed information about the Copper Canyon, including local knowledge about the area, best times to travel, the train journey, the attractions and activities on offer, connect to our comprehensive Guide to Mexico’s Copper Canyon.