Canyon Barranca del Cobre is a natural wonder that is located in the north of Mexico, in a mountain system called the Western Sierra Madre. The area occupied by Barranca del Cobre - about 50,000 square kilometers - is equal to the area of Costa Rica. Among tours to Mexico, archiological tours aimed at obtaining historical information are especially popular.
In essence, Barranca del Cobre is not a separate canyon, but a whole system of 20 connected by a friend with friend canyons. The Urica Canyon reaches a depth of 1,879 meters, Sinforos Canyon - 1,830 meters, the Batopilas Canyon - 1,800 meters, and the Grand Canyon - about 1,600 meters.
And one of them is Barranca del Cobre, from which the whole system is called. According to the researcher Richard Fisher, from these canyons, at least three in depth exceed the Grand Canyon in the United States.
Since the size of this canyon system is unusually large, most tourists are able to view it from only a few points from which a good overview opens. Among the most impressive are the canyons of Barranca del Cobre, Sinforosa and Urica. However, some admire the panorama opening with Divisadeiro. From here you can see how the canyons of Barranca del Cobre, Urica and Tararequa pass one another.
Variety of climatic conditions
Sharp changes in altitude affect the climate and nature of the vegetation of Barranca del Cobre. Miguel Gleason was convinced of this himself when, together with the group, he descended along the slopes of the canyon Urike. He wrote about this in the magazine "Mexico Desconocido": "It was getting hotter, the pine forests were replaced by tropical vegetation - bananas, avocados and even oranges. It seemed incredible to us. Admittedly, I never came from cool forests to the hot subtropics so quickly, having overcome such a small distance. "
Not so often you will meet the tourist companies organizing tours to Mexico in this region .On high above the sea level plateau grows 15 species of pines and 25 species of oaks..In Barranca del Cobre you can also meet poplar and juniper .In summer, the slopes of the mountains are covered with all sorts of flowers, some of which are indigenous people - Tarahumara Indians - eaten or used as a natural medicine .At an altitude of more than 1,800 meters above sea level, most of the year the climate is either moderate or cold .In winter there are small rains, even snowfalls happen .
When you descend the slopes of the canyon, along the way there are different kinds of trees, cacti begin to come across. Going down even lower, you find yourself in the subtropics. The winters here are mild, with an average temperature of 17 degrees Celsius. But in summer the weather is not so pleasant: the temperature ranges from 35 to 45 degrees, heavy precipitation falls, which causes the level of rivers to rise and they can leave the coast.
But the pearl of these places is undoubtedly two majestic waterfalls: Piedra Volada - one of the highest in the world, with a height of 453 meters, and Basaseachi, with a height of 246 meters.
But if you are not a fan of interesting natural landscapes and antiquities, then your holiday in Mexico can be a simple lying on the white beaches of the Riviera Maya or in the entertainment that are ready to provide you with casinos and bars of Acapulco or Mexico City.
Nature reserve
Canyons Barranca del Cobre are rich in flora and fauna. According to some estimates, 30 percent of all mammals in Mexico live here. This is the black bear, the puma, the otter, the white-tailed deer, the Mexican gray wolf, the collar bakers, the red trot, the raccoon raccoon, the American badger, and the striped skunk, as well as bats, squirrels, rabbits.
In Barranca del Cobra there are about 400 species of birds, including the golden eagle and peregrine falcon. Migratory birds gather here for wintering, as canyons are located in a convenient location, between North and Central America. Other birds during the flights stop here for rest.
Looking out the train window
Chihuahua - the Pacific railway stretches for 938 kilometers - from the city of Ohinagh, located on the border between the US and Mexico, to the port of Topolobampo on the Pacific coast .On the way, the highway crosses Barranca del Cobre .Due to the topographic features of the terrain along which this route passes, it is considered to be a brilliant achievement of engineering art .On the way the train passes through 37 large bridges .The longest of them - the bridge over the Rio-Fuerte - stretched almost 500 meters; The highest - across the Chinipas River - reaches a height of 90 meters .
The train also passes through 99 tunnels, the total length of which is about 200 kilometers. The largest of them, with a length of 1,810 meters, is called El Descanso. During the trip, tourists can enjoy the magnificent panorama of Barranca del Cobre Canyon.