Mexico
Copper Canyon
Six canyons deeper than the Grand Canyon, linked by a railway that hangs over the void.
The rim gives nothing away. Flat pine forest stretches to the horizon, then the earth simply drops — a vertical mile of red and green rock plunging into a canyon system so vast that six separate gorges compose it, each deeper than the Grand Canyon.
The Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon) system in the Sierra Madre Occidental is collectively larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon, with a total depth of 1,879 metres at its deepest point. The El Chepe railway — one of the world's great train journeys — crosses 37 bridges and passes through 86 tunnels between Chihuahua and the Pacific coast. The Rarámuri (Tarahumara) people, renowned as the world's greatest endurance runners, have inhabited the canyon depths for centuries and maintain communities along the river floors. Adventure activities include zip-lining across the canyon at Divisadero, rappelling into side canyons, and multi-day hiking descents to the river. The climate shifts from alpine pine at the rim to subtropical warmth at the canyon bottom, passing through multiple ecosystems in a single descent.
Solo
The El Chepe railway, solo canyon hikes, and encounters with Rarámuri communities make this one of Mexico's greatest solo adventure destinations.
Friends
Group zip-lining, multi-day canyon treks, and the shared spectacle of the train journey — Copper Canyon rewards adventurous groups.
- Six interconnected canyons collectively deeper and wider than the Grand Canyon.
- The Chepe railway — one of the world's most legendary train journeys — crosses 37 bridges and passes through 86 tunnels.
- The Rarámuri (Tarahumara) people, renowned as the world's greatest endurance runners, live in the canyon depths.
- Rim-to-floor elevation change of 1,879 metres creates climate zones from alpine pine to subtropical.
Machaca — sun-dried shredded beef — scrambled with eggs at railway-stop comedores at dawn.
Rarámuri women selling pine-nut gorditas and tejuino — fermented maize drink — at canyon-rim viewpoints.
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