The Copper Canyon, in Spanish Barranca del Cobre, is located all over the Sierra
Madre Occidental Range in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico; nowadays, they are in
what is north-western Mexico. It is one of the youngest geological formations, and
casually, they are also the largest in the North American continent,
alike the Grand
Canyon of United States.
The landscape is a formation of many rivers, which born in the highest pine forests
at 10,000 miles with gorgeous step-walled deep narrow valley s into the volcanic
rocks of Sierra Madre Mountain Range, over 5,000 feet with giant cactus and tropical
trees.
Due to the many watered thunder storms, the canyon country is always the perfect
combination of colours, among greens, reds and yellows; mixed with the dense oaks
in spring, and during autumn filled with wildflowers.
The Copper Canyon, covering almost 25,000 square miles, is mostly used by travellers
to know the total canyon system; including:
Urique Canyon at 6,136ft. deep
Sinforosa Canyon at 5,904ft. deep
Copper Canyon at 5,770ft. deep
Tararecua Canyon at 4,674ft. deep
Batopilas Canyon at 5,904ft.
deep
Oteros Canyon at 3,225ft. deep
The trips to the canyon are on board of the historic Chihuahua al Pacífico Railroad;
also know as Chepe, which was originally designed to connect the Pacific Ocean with
the central Mexican desert territory and Chihuahua. Built in almost 90 years, it
always has had an international vision and until now it is an engineering masterpiece.
Nowadays, the train starts its way from the Pacific Ocean up into the splendorous
Copper Canyon, crossing 39 bridges and 86 tunnels.
Besides, the Chepe makes possible the entry for tourists to the Copper Canyon passing
through the area long inhabited by the Tarahumara Indians, who are small and shy
natives, famous for their running ability. There is also some
50,000 Raramuri who
lives in caves and other primitive dwellings.
History, Flora and Fauna
The origin of these amazing canyons
were formed about 30 to 40 millions of years
ago, in the mid Tertiary Period, product of an intense volcanic activity, after
the eruption of thousands of volcanoes. All these eruptions took place, the tons
of lava and ashes formed what nowadays are many ranges of plateaus.
View of the Copper Canyon
There was also found a seismological activity which creating fractures in the earth's
crust, originated rivers flowing through the copper canyon and most of them, merged
with the Gulf of Mexico, taking usually the same name of the canyon over which they
cut through.
Copper Canyon’s biodiversity is very fame for its rich flora and fauna, in principally
due to their two distinct climates, one dominating the mountains and the other on
the plateaus and plains. As a big range, the climate is mostly varied, finding snowfall
in the peaks; and subtropical temperatures in the valleys.
According to the climates, there is also found hundreds birds of rare species, including the military macaw and the eared trogon. Most of the Mexican animal life is found
here, as same as famed mammals such as the black bear, the puma, the endangered
Mexican wolf, etc.
The plant life is not an exception, in the Copper Canyon is easy to find several
species of tropical and temperate plants that thrive in the region.