Copper Canyon in Mexico Reveals Why Mexico Has the Most UNESCO Heritage Sites in All of the Americas

Post by Sarah via Mexico Today

Did you know? The Copper Canyon in northern Mexico is even bigger than the Grand Canyon – 6000 vs. 4500 feet deep and four times the volume – and is one of the biggest canyons in the world.

Here, MexicoToday guides you through the main attractions of the Canyon, like the scenic ‘Chihuahua al Pacifico’ train, Copper Canyon Adventure Park, and the Valley of Mushrooms and Monks with rock formations. Copper Canyon also brings a bit of history and culture to the table – it has long been home to the Tarahumara Indians, whose isolation in the rugged Canyon has produced many world famous long distance runners and a way of life that is still relatively untouched by the modern world. 

Copper Canyon in Mexico is more vast than steep, made up of seven major and over twenty minor canyons, much more intricate and complicated than the Grand Canyon’s vertical walls that plunge down to a single river. It's not only the amazing scale of the Canyon that make the Copper Canyon so attractive, it’s the many ways to enjoy its views and scenery: for instance, the scenic Chihuahua al Pacifico train, which was built in the late 1800s, is one of the last narrow gauge railroads in North America serving as both a regional transportation system and a tourist attraction. To take the Copper Canyon railroad, or "El Chepe", as it’s familiarly called, is a scenic 12-18 hour ride from start to finish, with the train going through the desert, over bridges, through tunnels and up the sides of canyons. You can get off and on at any stop or turn the average one-day trip into a multiple-day tour of the area. 

Another attraction of Copper Canyon is the Copper Canyon Adventure Park where seven zip lines plus two suspension bridges traversing various canyons stretch into the horizon. The zip lines range from 150 to 1500 feet in height and 130 yards to three quarters of a mile in length, and, for amazing views, it’s recommended that you zip in tandem with a guide in order to gawk at the views more comfortably.

Valley of Mushrooms and Monks, a large valley of original rock formations confirms that Mexico is much more than just sun, surf and sand. It is home to thousands of natural treasures, proving why Mexico has more UNESCO heritage sites than anywhere else in North, Central or South America.