Program 105:

Copper Canyon



From the Southwest, we travel into Mexico and the Sierra Madre Mountains. We’re embarking on a visit to the Copper Canyon, four times larger than the Grand Canyon.  
The sheer magnitude is stunning...
Actually, there are six canyons formed by six rivers, the most prominent of which is Copper. Scientists say if all six were placed end-to-end, they would stretch four times longer than the Grand Canyon.
There is no better way to reach this natural wonder than by the restored Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad, known to the locals as El Chepe. I board the train in the town of El Fuerte and travel through the high desert to the Canon del Cobre. Mexicans actually call the canyon Las Barrancas del Cobre, “copper cliffs.” When you see the sheer walls, you understand. The canyon itself offers breathtaking views for tourists but it is home to a local tribe, the Tarahumara, who have been living in this region for centuries.
The best way to see Copper Canyon is by train...

I walk down into the canyon to visit an Indian farm and home.
Interest in the Copper Canyon has been growing for decades, since the Mexican government restored the train. And on my trip I discover a wonderful waterfall, some 80 miles north of Creel, which is also in canyon country. Basaseachi Fall is the highest single-drop waterfall in Mexico, plummeting 800 feet. It’s part of a national park.
There are many travel companies which can set up a tour of the Canyon, including a ride on El Chepe. Access the Internet and use the key words Copper Canyon. And for information about the nation as a whole, try this web site:

www.visitmexico.com.