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Copper Canyon
The Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barranca del Cobre) is a canyon system in the Sierra Tarahumara in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. The canyon covers over 20,000 square miles and is Copper Canyonfour times largerand deeper than the Grand Canyon in the neighboring United States, although the Grand Canyon is larger overall than any of the individual canyons of the Copper Canyon system. There are actually six separate canyons in the Copper Canyon system, each of which is spectacular in its own right. Mexico deemed this major tourist destination and established the Parque Nacional Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon National Park) to showcase this remote but beautiful area.
The scenery is incredible, and the best way to enjoy it is by taking the railroad line through the mountains. A stay of a few days will also give you the opportunity to see and learn something about the unassimilated Tarahumara Indians who live in the area. September 27th, 2005 in La Paz, Mexico, the Chepe train was awarded an international recognition accreditation as one of the top ten most spectacular train trips in the world during the celebration of the "Tourism World Day". Due to the various types of terrain, you'll experience extreme climates, with cold winds in the high areas and hot weather at the bottom of the canyons, where it can reach up to 40º C (104º F) during the summer. Fall is the most popular to visit, and is still green with a multitude of flowers. You can take the train ride for the view, or you could spend a week in the region, using the train line as your main route through the canyons, stopping overnight to explore and discover the local areas. This is not a place you can just go to and expect to find a hotel room and a train ticket, especially during the busy times so plan ahead.