Copper Canyon

Copper Canyon is also known as Sierra Tarahumara, named after the area’s semi-nomadic inhabitants who live in the cliffs, mesas, and caves of the canyon. The Tarahumaras (Spanish name) or the Raramuri (their own name) are descendants of the tribes of Northern Mexico that fled from the Spanish conquest by taking to the mountains.

As the Spanish encroached on their civilization, the shy and private Tarahumara retreated to the inaccessible canyons of the Sierra Tarahumara. After prospectors discovered mineral wealth, many areas where Tarahumara Indians lived became desirable lands for mining companies, forcing the Tarahumara once again to head farther into the remote canyons. Today, the Tarahumara remain Mexico’s second largest native Indian group with between 50,000 and 70,000 people. They live in caves, under cliffs, and in small wood and stone cabins in remote areas.

The Tarahumara have achieved renown as long-distance runners, surprising many by winning races wearing their tire-soled sandals. Walking and running is their main mode of transportation and many of the small communities lie far apart. The Tarahumara remain very religious and desire privacy and respect. Two larger events are Semana Santa (Easter Week) and the Fiesta Guadalupana in December. Other celebrations utilize tesguino, an alcoholic beverage made by the Tarahumara from corn and grasses.

Visitors will enjoy a scenic train ride from Los Mochis on the Pacific coast to the country’s arid inland. The 406-mile route includes several stops in the fabled Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon). The train cuts through sheer canyons, hugging the sides of towering cliffs and offering dizzying glimpses of rivers far below.

Stops along the way include the colonial town of El Fuerte, providing excellent views down into the 7,544-foot depths of Copper Canyon; Areponapuchi, teetering right on the canyon’s edge; Creel, a base for hikers and the regional center for the local Tarahumara people; and the Mennonite hub of Cuauhtemoc.

The dramatic 806-foot Cascada de Basaseachi is the highest waterfall in Mexico. Located 87 miles northwest of Creel, the waterfall is worth the drive and hike to reach it. Creel is also a good base for reaching the 98-foot Cascada Cusarare waterfall, 14 miles south of the town. This fall is much smaller than Cascada de Basaseachi but gorgeous and worth the effort.

The Sierra Tarahumara region contains some twenty-three different species of pine and two hundred different species of oak trees. Mexican Douglas-fir trees cover the high plateaus in altitudes over 8,000 feet (2,400 meters), but due to deforestation in the area, many species of wildlife are endangered. Cougars live in the remotest of regions but are rarely seen. After the summer rainy season, these upper regions blossom with wildflowers until October. From 4,000–8,000 feet (1,200–2,400 meters), oak trees grow in the huge forests as well as the more shade-tolerant types of trees. In the fall the forests become brilliant with color from Andean Alder and poplar trees. Brushwood and scrubby trees grow on the canyon slopes, which can survive the dry season. Huge fig and palm trees thrive at the bottom where water is plentiful and the climate is tropical.

The alpine climate of the mountainous regions of Copper Canyon has moderate temperatures from October to November and March to April. The bottom of the canyons remains humid and warm and stays that way throughout the year. During the warmest months, April through June, drought poses a chronic problem with little rainfall until July when the rainy season begins.