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The Copper Canyon of northern Mexico is one of the world's great natural wonders. Its overall canyon is four times larger than the Grand Canyon, but it is not nearly as arid and desolate, though there are periods of drought. Copper Canyon offers a wide range of geographical features, from snow-covered mountains to picturesque lakes to breathtaking waterfalls to subtropical forests.
Geography
The Copper Canyon is actually six great gorges, each forged by its own river. The rivers come together to become Rio Fuerte, and the canyons collectively cover more than 25,000 square miles.
Depth
In addition to being substantially larger than the Grand Canyon, four of the six canyons of the Copper Canyon are also deeper. In some places, the Copper Canyon outdoes the depth of the Grand Canyon by more than 1,000 feet.
Climate
The steep and deep terrain of the canyons give it two different climactic zones. The bottom is subtropical, while the upper reaches and rim are alpine.
Wildlife
The canyons are home to black bears, deer, predatory cats and plenty of lizards and snakes.
Railway
Many tourists use the Chihuahua-Pacific Railway (or "Chepe") to enter the canyon, or even ride it for the entire trip. It is one of North America's great surviving railways, covering breathtaking terrain by means of 30 bridges and dozens of tunnels.
Creel Activities
A major base for outdoors enthusiasts is Creel, located in the canyon's alpine region. From there, mountain biking, day hiking, cross-country hiking and rock climbing are possible.
About The Author
Richard Thomas has been writing since earning his M.A. in international affairs in 1997. A former cheap travel blogger for eHow and senior travel editor for Associated Content, he has traveled from Argentina to Vietnam. Thomas usually writes about boxing, hiking and scuba diving, as well as on the food and wine of his current home of Portugal.
