Copper Canyon, Mountain range in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Copper Canyon is a network of six interconnected canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental, covering much of northern Chihuahua. The Urique gorge reaches a depth of 1,879 meters (6,165 feet), surpassing the Grand Canyon by roughly 300 meters (984 feet) at its deepest point.
The Urique, Septentrión and Batopilas rivers carved these valleys into the volcanic rock of the Sierra Madre over millions of years. The copper mines opened by Spanish colonizers from the 16th century onward gave the region its name.
The Rarámuri, as the Tarahumara call themselves, still live in scattered settlements along the canyon walls and sell handmade baskets and pottery at the few overlooks. Their traditional stone and wood homes blend into the rock faces and remain nearly invisible to most visitors.
The train journey takes around 14 hours and stops at several overlooks, with departures usually early in the morning. Layered clothing is advisable because the temperature can swing by more than 20 degrees between the valley floor and the plateau.
At certain spots, agave and cactus plants grow directly on the cliff walls, clinging to cracks barely wide enough for their roots. In the deepest valleys, subtropical plants form a contrast with the pine forests on the plateau above.
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