By Contributing Writer
Copper Canyon, in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, offers visitors one of the most stunning destinations in North America. Home to the descendants of the ancient Aztec empire, the Copper Canyon area deserves to be placed high on the must-see list of any avid traveler. For any visitor to the Copper Canyon area, the difficulty will not be in finding destinations worth visiting, it will be in deciding what you will have to leave out.
The Canyons
Want to see the largest canyon system in North America? If so, you won't be heading to Arizona. The Copper Canyon system dwarfs Arizona's Grand Canyon system by a factor of four. Though a different type of terrain than the Grand Canyon area, the Copper Canyon system is at some points even deeper than Grand Canyon.
The Copper Canyon system was carved from the historic Sierra Madre mountain range by a six-river system, creating an area of about 25,000 square miles. All but two of the canyons plunge to a maximum depth of more than a mile below the surrounding terrain.
Basaseachic Falls
As the second-highest waterfall in Mexico, a trip to Basaseachic Falls is certainly worthwhile. Located at the head of Candemena Canyon in the Copper Canyon system, this waterfall is a spectacular destination for hikers. It's surrounded by trails that provide vantage points from many different angles and distances. And for the truly hardy, it's even possible to hike down to the bottom of the falls and then gaze up at the spectacle of tons of water hurdling down toward you from the sky.
Copper Canyon Train
The Chihuahua al Pacífico Railroad is a magnificent means of taking in many of the sights of the Copper Canyon region. This railway is a testament to human perseverance, having taken almost 100 years from conception to completion.
The excitement of the train ride almost matches the spectacle of the scenery it traverses. Throughout its run, this railway climbs and descends more than 8,000 feet, scales more than two miles of bridges, and burrows through almost 11 miles of tunnels--including a 180-degree turn within a tunnel.
Valley of the Frogs
For variety, you might want to take a break from the more breathtaking sights of the Copper Canyon area and take in some bizarre sights, such as some gigantic frogs, each weighing thousands of tons. See volcanic and sedimentary rock formations that eons of wind and rain have sculpted into shapes that eerily resemble frogs. And if you find the frogs to be an interesting sight, you might want to also visit the Valley of the Monks and the Valley of the Mushrooms.
About the Author:
