Mexico’s Copper Canyon

TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: This is a more unusual touring style adventure than many of Wilderness Inquiry’s trips. You’ll travel by a variety of means, including train, bus, horse, and foot. Hikes will be a few hours in length. No previous experience is needed to complete this trip.

WEATHER: Temperatures during this season range from 35 F to 80 F. This area should be quite dry, but it is wise to plan for rainy days and pack accordingly.

ACCOMMODATIONS: You will be staying in hotels and villas or lodges. Most rooms are double occupancy with two beds. Participants will be paired by gender or requests to room together. Showers are available at all of the accommodations. Most lodging will be on the first floor and relatively accessible, however, certain amenities commonly found in the United States may be lacking (such as grab bars in restrooms to assist persons with disabilities).

MEALS: We’ll enjoy a variety of fresh, healthy options at local restaurants that include poultry, beef, vegetables, and fruit. We pride ourselves on offering good tasting breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. While we’ll enjoy sharing happy hours together, the purchase of alcoholic beverages is not included in the trip fees.

YOUR GROUP: The group size will be approximately 7-12 participants, plus 1 or more Wilderness Inquiry staff. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation.

SINGLE TRAVELERS: If you are traveling alone, you will feel at home with a welcoming group. When rooms are shared, we match same gender solo travelers. If you would like to have your own room throughout the trip, you may purchase a single supplement for an additional fee. Please email or call us if you would like this option.

PASSPORT/VISA: U.S. citizens need a passport to enter Mexico, and it must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure. One blank passport page is typically required for entry stamp. No tourist visa is required for U.S. citizens for stays under 180 days. We encourage you to check the State Department website for the most up-to-date entry requirements:  http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/mexico.html

COVID POLICY: We continue to monitor and update our COVID-19 policies. Wilderness Inquiry strongly encourages everyone to be fully up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination and take other necessary steps for the health and wellness of all. We ask you to self-screen for any signs of illness prior to your trip’s departure. Please contact Wilderness Inquiry if you are exhibiting signs of illness. We will also continue to follow all guidance and requirements of locations that we travel, keeping in mind some international destinations do require vaccinations and/or negative covid tests. We will update this policy as new information and guidance becomes available.

SAFETY WHILE ON TRAIL:  Though not required, some individuals may choose to wear a mask, and we expect all participants to respect this choice. Please ensure proper hygiene including, but not limited to, hand-washing and/or sanitizing before eating and after using the restroom. Individuals who become ill or test positive for COVID-19 during a Wilderness Inquiry experience will be isolated to the best of the group’s ability and are responsible for their own transportation and expenses to depart the trip.

Copper Canyon is also known as Sierra Tarahumara, named after the area’s semi-nomadic inhabitants who live in the cliffs, mesas, and caves of the canyon. The Tarahumaras (Spanish name) or the Raramuri (their own name) are descendants of the tribes of Northern Mexico that fled from the Spanish conquest by taking to the mountains.

As the Spanish encroached on their civilization, the shy and private Tarahumara retreated to the inaccessible canyons of the Sierra Tarahumara. After prospectors discovered mineral wealth, many areas where Tarahumara Indians lived became desirable lands for mining companies, forcing the Tarahumara once again to head farther into the remote canyons. Today, the Tarahumara remain Mexico’s second largest native Indian group with between 50,000 and 70,000 people. They live in caves, under cliffs, and in small wood and stone cabins in remote areas.

The Tarahumara have achieved renown as long-distance runners, surprising many by winning races wearing their tire-soled sandals. Walking and running is their main mode of transportation and many of the small communities lie far apart. The Tarahumara remain very religious and desire privacy and respect. Two larger events are Semana Santa (Easter Week) and the Fiesta Guadalupana in December. Other celebrations utilize tesguino, an alcoholic beverage made by the Tarahumara from corn and grasses.

Visitors will enjoy a scenic train ride from Los Mochis on the Pacific coast to the country’s arid inland. The 406-mile route includes several stops in the fabled Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon). The train cuts through sheer canyons, hugging the sides of towering cliffs and offering dizzying glimpses of rivers far below.

Stops along the way include the colonial town of El Fuerte, providing excellent views down into the 7,544-foot depths of Copper Canyon; Areponapuchi, teetering right on the canyon’s edge; Creel, a base for hikers and the regional center for the local Tarahumara people; and the Mennonite hub of Cuauhtemoc.

The dramatic 806-foot Cascada de Basaseachi is the highest waterfall in Mexico. Located 87 miles northwest of Creel, the waterfall is worth the drive and hike to reach it. Creel is also a good base for reaching the 98-foot Cascada Cusarare waterfall, 14 miles south of the town. This fall is much smaller than Cascada de Basaseachi but gorgeous and worth the effort.

The Sierra Tarahumara region contains some twenty-three different species of pine and two hundred different species of oak trees. Mexican Douglas-fir trees cover the high plateaus in altitudes over 8,000 feet (2,400 meters), but due to deforestation in the area, many species of wildlife are endangered. Cougars live in the remotest of regions but are rarely seen. After the summer rainy season, these upper regions blossom with wildflowers until October. From 4,000–8,000 feet (1,200–2,400 meters), oak trees grow in the huge forests as well as the more shade-tolerant types of trees. In the fall the forests become brilliant with color from Andean Alder and poplar trees. Brushwood and scrubby trees grow on the canyon slopes, which can survive the dry season. Huge fig and palm trees thrive at the bottom where water is plentiful and the climate is tropical.

The alpine climate of the mountainous regions of Copper Canyon has moderate temperatures from October to November and March to April. The bottom of the canyons remains humid and warm and stays that way throughout the year. During the warmest months, April through June, drought poses a chronic problem with little rainfall until July when the rainy season begins.