Arizona’s Grand Canyon is very impressive! A few years back I had the opportunity to explore it from up on the rim and also on a 6 day rafting tour through the canyon floor on the Colorado River.
I have also had the opportunity to view Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, México both from the rim on the El Chepe Train and also on a multi-day tour where we traveled on sometimes paved and sometimes rough dirt roads to explore it from deep inside its vast canyonland areas.
From the two canyon experiences at each location, I can tell you that the adventure tours deep into the Grand Canyon and deep into Copper Canyon were much more scenic and many times more exciting than just viewing the scenery from a train or a scenic vantage point from the canyon rim. To be immersed deep in the canyon as compared to just observing it from high up on the rim is soooo different.
Comparing Copper Canyon to the Grand Canyon
As a comparison in size, the canyonland region of Chihuahua, México is about 4 times larger than the Grand Canyon in the USA. The Grand Canyon is basically one huge box-shaped canyon. Copper Canyon actually consists of multiple V-shaped canyons. Each of these canyons have their own name. However, for the sake of simplicity and to advertise the canyon region of Chihuahua as a whole, they just lump them all together and call it Copper Canyon. Also, there are a few locations in the Chihuahua canyon system that are a little deeper than the Grand Canyon.
The Indigenous People of the Copper Canyon Region
Since this area is relatively close to the border with the southwest United States, in the past this land was occupied by groups of the Apache and Comanche tribes. Today you will find the Tarahumara people. They actually prefer that you call them the Rarámuris which means, “Barefoot Runner.” Their skill as long distant runners are legendary. Wearing their homemade sandals, men, women, and children have learned to run for days on the uneven vertical trails in the Copper Canyon region where they live in small villages. Because of the up and down rugged terrain in many real remote areas where they live, there are not many roads. So running on narrow canyon trails was their mode of transportation to get from one place to another.
Silver Mining Inside the Canyonlands of Chihuahua
As early as the mid 1500s, the Spanish discovered silver in the bottom of these canyons. Especially from the 1600s onward to the early 1900s, large fortunes were made by those hardy souls who sought out the silver in this rugged environment.
A location for travelers today to learn about these mines is in the small town of Batopilas located in the bottom of these canyons next to a river. Major mining operations took place here.
In fact, when visiting this designated Mexico Pueblo Mágico, you can explore the sprawling ex-Hacienda San Miguel where a former US politician and his family built an elaborate mansion for themselves from the profits of his successful silver mining operation. Of course, now it is in ruins. However, a walk through the many dilapidated structures is a good indication of the riches made from the owner’s mining endeavors.
Traveling Inside the Chihuahua Canyonlands Region
For those who love outdoor adventure, venturing into this vast region of canyons is a trip to remember. These days there are a series of roads crisscrossing through these canyons. As I mentioned, some are paved and many are not. At times some of these roads may have small and large boulders from recent rock slides, especially after a hard rain.
The view from inside Copper Canyon is spectacular. At every turn, the scenery of steep walls of rock and vast valleys below are a nature photographer’s dream location.
Places to Overnight Down Inside of Copper Canyon
There are a few small towns dotting the inside of these many canyons with small comfortable local hotels. A small selection of restaurants can usually be found as well. Also, you can find rustic cabins hidden inside these deep canyons.
Copper Canyon Rim Tours (El Chepe Train) vs Exploring Deep Inside Copper Canyon
When searching online for tours to see Copper Canyon, you will first find many sites with information about trips that include the El Chepe train. Since this is the most comfortable way to get to the scenic overlooks on the rim of the canyons, most folks sign up for the easy route.
For tour operators, this is the “money-making” trip to promote to the average “tourists.” Selling the El Chepe train tour is more profitable for them as they can fill a big busload of paying tourists as compared to trying to fill a few select travelers in a van to explore the depths of the canyon.
Guided Adventure Trips that take people down into the canyons are a little more challenging to find online as the demographics for this kind of tour is limited to a smaller base of outdoor enthusiasts.
This kind of back roads tour is geared for the more adventurous travelers. They don’t mind getting out of their comfort zone by staying in modest accommodations and traveling in a vehicle that jostles them around while traversing the many rugged canyon back roads.
From a tour company’s point of view, the logistics to create this kind of tour is more involved. They need to have vans and SUVs that can handle rough roads in different kinds of weather conditions. They also need to have a network of people who live in the canyons from which they can communicate with in regards to giving them updates each day as to the conditions of the road ahead. The tour guide especially needs to know about any up-coming rock slide areas and about any locations where road crews may be working on the roads.
Our Multi-Day Copper Canyon Tour
Our portfolio of México trips includes a category called, Back Roads of México Tours. As the title says, we lead people on exploration tours to experience life in some of the more rural areas of México.
In the state of Chihuahua, my México tour design team and I have crafted a multi-day tour to explore the deep recesses of Copper Canyon and also to explore the adjacent Chihuahuan Desert region.
We named this trip . . .
Back Roads of Chihuahua – Desert & Canyonlands Tour – *12 Days
* Includes day of arrival & departure
It is also a history tour of Copper Canyon as our guests will learn about the indigenous people who have survived this rugged environment for centuries. They will actually meet some of them. Our guide will also give a little history lesson about what took place in Chihuahua during the Mexican Revolution. Much of it has to do with the famous revolutionary, Pancho Villa. In addition, our guests will learn a thing or two about the discovery of silver and of the consequent mining operations which took place, especially in the town of Batopilas.
Please Note – This tour DOES NOT include a ride on the El Chepe Train nor do we visit any of its normal stops along the way on the rim of Copper Canyon.
For more information about this tour, please Click Here.
Quick Geography Facts about Chihuahua State in México
Of the 32 states found in the country of México, Chihuahua is the largest. To give you an idea, this state is roughly the size of Wyoming in the USA. In its 95,500 square miles, you will find the rugged Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range running through it with a large forested region and as mentioned, the vast area of canyons.
A section of the dry arid Chihuahuan Desert is another region located in its eastern section of the state. This desert is the largest in North America covering some 200,000 square miles of the southwest US states in New México and Texas. It also spills over into six different northwest México states. To give you an idea of its size, the Chihuahuan Desert is larger in size than the US state of California.
Nos vemos pronto en México! / See you soon in México!
