When considering an exotic location to vacation in, many candidates come to mind. Thailand, southern Africa, New Zealand. One that often also comes up is our lovely and vibrant neighbor to the south, Mexico. While the beaches of Cancun, the resorts of Acapulco and the cultural delights of Monterrey are familiar and even old hat to most travellers, there are some relatively unknown gems awaiting discovery and exploration. One such place is Copper Canyon.
Copper Canyon is located in the southwestern part of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. While this word is most closely associated with the breed of dog, it is also well known as a large, often inhospitable desert. But the curious vacationer needn't worry about these climatic conditions on trips to Copper Canyon. Copper Canyon was carved, over millions of years, by no less than six rivers curving their way toward the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California. These rivers run year round and converge into the Rio Fuerte, providing irrigation and sustaining a wide variety of life throughout this amazing landscape. The entire canyon system is larger than the Grand Canyon system in nearby Arizona. And, in fact, some places are actually deeper. A Copper Canyon vacation will provide all these opportunities.
The walls of the canyon system give off a somewhat green, somewhat copper iridescent hue. This is the etymology of the name. A visit to Copper Canyon will give, at first sight, a stunning impression of why so many choose to vacation here. The scores of flora and fauna will also reveal to the visitor why the Tarahumara Indians made this their home for so many hundreds of years before the Spanish came through. When, in the 1600s, the Spanish did drive the Tarahumara from their lands, they found that the river system provided enough water to allow for rich animal grazing and settlement.
There are many ways to enjoy Copper Canyon. A Copper Canyon trip will include hiking the various trails, biking them, running along them (as the Tarahumara have done for hundreds of years) and even helicopter tours. This doesn't include the boat trips and fishing expeditions possible along the rivers. Copper Canyon is also well suited to horseback riding. In fact, the actual trip into Copper Canyon, most often done by train, is an experience in and of itself. The remote setting, the vertical distance between river and canyon peaks, the large variety of game life warrant visiting Copper Canyon on any trip to Mexico.