Copper Canyon & El Chepe

Overview

The Barrancas del Cobre are a system of more than half a dozen canyons cut into the Sierra Madre Occidental in southwestern Chihuahua. The deepest, such as Urique and Sinforosa, rival or exceed the Grand Canyon in depth, and the whole network covers a far larger area. The difference you notice on the ground is that these canyons are green: pine and oak forest on the rims, and subtropical fig and palm trees at the bottom, where it can be 30°F (17°C) warmer than at the top.

Most visitors see the region from El Chepe, the passenger service on the Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad. The line climbs from the coastal plain at Los Mochis, Sinaloa, up to the high plateau of Chihuahua, through 86 tunnels and across 37 bridges. It is one of the great train rides in the Americas, and it is also the safest and easiest way to see the canyons, which is a real consideration in this part of Mexico.

The canyons are home to the Rarámuri (also called Tarahumara), one of the largest Indigenous groups in northern Mexico. Plan on at least four days, because the point is to get off the train and spend nights on the rim. The logistics take planning, since trains run only a few days a week and hotels are few, and both states carry serious US travel advisories; read the advisory section below and our safety guide before you book.

El Chepe: Express vs Regional

Ferromex, Mexico's largest freight railroad, runs two very different passenger services on the line, and US travel sites often mix them up.

The Express is the tourist train: newer cars, big windows and restaurant service, plus, for Primera passengers, a terrace car where you can stand in open air as the train crosses bridges. It does not run between Creel and Chihuahua city, which surprises a lot of people. If you want to start or end in Chihuahua, you need the Regional, a bus or a private transfer for that leg.

The Regional is the working train of the Sierra Tarahumara, carrying local people between remote stations, many with poor road access. It is slower and plainer, and a fascinating ride. Chepe's rules restrict tourists from using it alone on the Creel–Los Mochis stretch that the Express covers; reports from 2026 say you need an Express reservation covering a longer part of that stretch. In practice, visitors use the Regional for the Chihuahua–Creel leg or as part of a combined Express itinerary. Confirm with the call center before you plan around it.

Schedules and 2026 fares

Chepe Express timetable

Sinaloa (Los Mochis, El Fuerte) is one hour behind Chihuahua (everything from Bahuichivo up). Chepe's FAQ says it publishes Express times in Pacific time, Sinaloa's clock, so on the Chihuahua side your phone may show an hour later. Confirm pickup times with your hotel.

Chepe's schedule page also says the Express runs only Thursday through Sunday in some lower-demand months. Check the operating calendar on chepe.mx for your dates before you lock anything in.

Chepe Regional timetable

Westbound, the Regional leaves Chihuahua at 6:00, reaches Creel around 11:45, Divisadero around 13:10, Bahuichivo around 15:10, and El Fuerte and Los Mochis in the evening (about 18:20 and 20:30, Pacific time). Eastbound, it leaves Los Mochis at 6:00, passes El Fuerte about 8:20, Bahuichivo about 13:25, Divisadero about 14:50 and Creel about 16:40, and arrives in Chihuahua around 22:30. The Regional often runs late, so leave slack in your plans. If you arrive in Chihuahua at night, arrange your hotel pickup in advance.

What it costs

Express fares change by season, and Chepe publishes its fare table as an image that it updates through the year. These are the ranges published for 2026 travel, per person, for the full Los Mochis–Creel route:

Shorter segments cost less. Peak periods (Christmas and New Year, Semana Santa, and July–August) sit at the top of these ranges and sell out weeks ahead.

The Regional is cheaper. Its 2026 Turista fares from Chihuahua include about MX$1,720 ($93) to Creel, MX$2,055 ($112) to Divisadero, MX$2,320 ($126) to Bahuichivo and MX$3,780 ($205) all the way to Los Mochis. Chepe says Regional fares can change without notice.

How to book and ride

1. Pick your train days first, then your stops. Most people break the trip at least once, usually at Divisadero/Posada Barrancas and often at El Fuerte or Creel.
2. Book the Express on the official site, chepe.mx/reservaciones. Declare every stopover when you book, because it has to appear on your ticket, and changes after payment cost a penalty. Chepe warns it is not responsible for tickets bought on other websites, and you cannot count on buying Express tickets on the day.
3. Make sure the name on each ticket matches the passenger's passport exactly; Chepe can refuse boarding if it doesn't. Children under 3 ride free without their own seat.
4. Pack light: each passenger may bring one suitcase of up to 25 kg (55 lb) plus one carry-on, there is no excess-baggage fee, so extra bags simply can't board, and bicycles and motorcycles are not allowed.
5. For the Regional, call Chepe's center at 800 122 4373 (a toll-free Mexican number) or buy at the station ticket office. Stations open about an hour before departure.
6. Book hotels near the stations right away. The canyon-rim hotels have limited rooms, and many sell packages that include meals and station transfers.
7. Bring cash in pesos for tips, crafts and small purchases. Beyond Creel and the larger towns, assume there are no ATMs.

Which side to sit on

The standard advice from riders is to sit on the right side heading east from Los Mochis to Creel, which means the left side going west. In reality the canyon swaps sides many times. If you're in Primera, the open-air terrace car has the best views; head there around Témoris, where the line doubles back on itself through tunnels and crosses some of its highest bridges, and again approaching Divisadero.

Food and drinks are sold on board the Express and are not included in the fare, and outside food is not allowed. Carry water, a warm layer (the rim gets cold by late afternoon), sunscreen, and your passport, which you need to board. Armed guards ride the trains.

Stops along the line

Divisadero Adventure Park

The Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre sits on the rim at Divisadero. Entry is free, and you pay per activity. The cable car and zip lines reopened in August 2025 after major maintenance, including a new traction cable.

The cable car runs roughly 9:00–16:30, and the adventure activities start between 9:15 and 9:30, with last departures from early to mid afternoon. The park lists a maximum age of 84 for the adventure activities. Book through parquebarrancas.com, and check the park's published maintenance dates before you go, because the cable car and zip lines close for servicing and weather can pause operations.

The Rarámuri and visiting respectfully

The Rarámuri have lived in the Sierra Tarahumara for centuries, many of them in scattered family ranchos, moving between the cold highlands and the warm canyon floors. Their name is often translated as "those who run," and long-distance running is part of their culture: the traditional rarajípari is a race kicking a wooden ball over many miles. The book Born to Run made the Urique ultramarathon famous among American runners.

You will meet Rarámuri people mainly as artisans: women in brightly colored skirts selling pine-needle and sotol baskets, carved figures, dolls and woven belts at Divisadero, Creel and the hotels, usually things they made themselves.

• Ask before taking any photo of a person, and accept a no. Many Rarámuri people prefer not to be photographed.
• Buy directly from the maker when you can, and don't haggle hard. Prices are already low for hours of work.
• Do not walk into homes, caves or ranchos on your own. Some tours visit families who have agreed to receive visitors; go with those.
• Much of the land around Creel, including Lake Arareko and the Valley of the Monks, belongs to Rarámuri communities, which charge small entry fees at some sites. Pay them without fuss; the money stays in the community.
• Do not hand out candy or money to children. If you want to help, buy crafts or support local organizations.
• Semana Santa and other religious celebrations in Rarámuri communities are community rites. Go only with an invitation or a guide who knows the community, and put the camera away.

When to go

The sweet spot is October and November, after the summer rains: the canyons are green, waterfalls are still flowing, skies are clear and the rim is pleasantly cool. March and April are dry and sunny with warm days, though Semana Santa brings Mexican holiday crowds and higher fares.

• December–February: cold on the rim, with nights below freezing and occasional snow in Creel. Days are often sunny and the canyon bottoms are mild. Christmas and New Year are a peak.
• May–June: the driest, dustiest time, hot in the canyon bottoms and at El Fuerte, and wildfire smoke can haze the views.
• July–September: the rainy season. Afternoon storms, green landscapes, full waterfalls (Basaseachi, one of Mexico's tallest, is best late in the season) and Mexican summer vacation crowds in July and August. Landslides occasionally delay trains.

Pack layers year-round. A 40°F (22°C) swing between dawn on the rim and midday at El Fuerte is normal. At close to 8,000 ft (2,400 m), some people feel short of breath or get headaches the first day; CDC advice is to take it easy, drink water and limit alcohol at first. See our health page on altitude.

Where to stay

Hotels on the line are few, and the rim hotels are expensive for what they are, because they have the views and little competition. Many sell packages with three meals a day, since there is nowhere else to eat at night, and some quote rates in US dollars.

Book early for October, Christmas, Semana Santa and July. For more on booking, packages and what to watch out for, see where to stay in Mexico.

Getting to Chihuahua or Los Mochis

Chihuahua (CUU)

In fall 2026, Chihuahua's airport has nonstops from Dallas–Fort Worth on American and from Denver on Volaris, plus frequent flights from Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tijuana. US routes change often; check our flights page. From the city, buses run several times a day to Creel, about 4–5 hours by road via Cuauhtémoc, or you can take the 6:00 Regional train on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

You can also drive from El Paso: it is about 230 miles (370 km) from Ciudad Juárez to Chihuahua on toll Highway 45D, roughly four hours. Do it in daylight only, with Mexican auto insurance and, because you leave the border zone, a temporary vehicle import permit and a tourist permit. Our border page and driving page cover the paperwork.

Los Mochis (LMM)

Los Mochis has no nonstop flights from the US. You connect through Mexico City (Aeroméxico or Volaris), Tijuana, Guadalajara or Mexicali (Volaris), or seasonally Monterrey (Viva). The other way in is Baja Ferries from La Paz to Topolobampo, a crossing of several hours that pairs nicely with a Los Cabos and La Paz trip.

Safety and the travel advisory

The State Department's Mexico advisory, reissued May 29, 2026, puts the two states on this route at different levels, and the details matter more than the headline numbers.

Chihuahua: Level 3, Reconsider Travel

The advisory cites terrorism, crime and kidnapping. It says most homicides are targeted killings of members of criminal groups, but that turf battles have caused violence in places Americans frequent, including restaurants and malls, and that bystanders have been killed. US government employees may not travel to most of the state, and the advisory names the Copper Canyon as one of the off-limits areas. In Chihuahua city they are limited to a defined central zone (bounded roughly by Avenida Transformación, Avenida Tecnológico/Manuel Gómez Morín, Highway 16 and the city's western edge), the airport by direct route, and Highway 45 north to Ciudad Juárez and south to Parral, with limits on stops.

Sinaloa: Level 4, Do Not Travel

Sinaloa, where Los Mochis and El Fuerte sit, is at the advisory's highest level because of violence by cartels and criminal groups. US government employees may go to Los Mochis and Topolobampo only if they arrive by air or sea, and only within the city and port, using direct routes to the airport. El Fuerte is outside the area they are allowed to visit. Since September 2024, a split inside the Sinaloa Cartel has driven intense fighting in the state, centered on Culiacán, about 130 miles (210 km) southeast of Los Mochis.

What this means for you

The employee restrictions show where the US government judges it can keep its own people safe and help you quickly. In the canyons, help would be slow. The sierra is a drug-growing and trafficking region, and violence there is real: in June 2022, two Jesuit priests and a tour guide were murdered inside the church in Cerocahui, a village on the tourist route. At the same time, thousands of Mexican and foreign tourists ride El Chepe every year, the train carries armed guards, and incidents involving tourists on the standard route are rare. Many visitors decide the trip is reasonable with precautions; others wait. Both are sensible choices.

• Stay on the established route: the train, the station towns and the tours your hotel or a well-known Creel agency runs.
• Do not drive the backcountry roads to Batopilas, Urique or the Durango border on your own. If you want to see the canyon bottoms, go with an established local guide who knows current conditions.
• Travel by road only in daylight, as the advisory urges.
• If you meet a checkpoint, military or otherwise, stop, stay calm and follow instructions. Do not photograph armed men or checkpoints.
• Keep your hotel informed of your plans each day, and expect weak or no cell signal in much of the sierra.
• Check if your travel insurance excludes Level 3 or Level 4 areas. Some policies do, and medical evacuation from the canyon is expensive.
• Enroll in the State Department's STEP program so you receive alerts. US citizens in an emergency can call the embassy at +52-55-2579-2000 from Mexico.

For the full advisory and how to read it, see our Mexico safety guide.

Itineraries

Each train runs only on certain days, so these plans name the days that work. Hotels on the line arrange road transfers to fill any gap between trains; the paved road between Divisadero and Creel takes about an hour.

Five days, Los Mochis to Chihuahua

1. Day 1

   El Fuerte

   Fly into Los Mochis and transfer about 90 minutes to El Fuerte. Walk the plaza and the fort museum, and take an evening walk along the river. Make this a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday so the next day is an Express day.

2. Day 2

   The climb

   Board the eastbound Express at 9:20. The best canyon scenery comes in the early afternoon, from Témoris on. Get off at Divisadero at 16:15 and check into a rim hotel at Posada Barrancas in time for sunset.

3. Day 3

   Divisadero

   Sunrise from your balcony, the Adventure Park in the morning, a guided rim hike in the afternoon.

4. Day 4

   Creel

   A slow morning on the rim, then the afternoon train to Creel: the Express (Monday, Thursday or Saturday, 16:15) or, on Wednesdays, the Regional (about 14:50). Dinner in town.

5. Day 5

   Chihuahua

   An early tour to Lake Arareko and the Valley of the Monks, then a bus or private transfer to Chihuahua (4–5 hours), arriving before dark. Fly home the next morning.

Seven days, Chihuahua to the coast

1. Day 1

   Chihuahua (Monday)

   Arrive and see Pancho Villa's old house and the Quinta Gameros mansion. Starting on a Monday lines up every train that follows.

2. Day 2

   To Creel (Tuesday)

   The 6:00 Regional, past the Mennonite farms of Cuauhtémoc and up into the pine forest, arriving in Creel before noon. Afternoon at Lake Arareko.

3. Day 3

   Around Creel

   A full-day tour to the Cusárare waterfall and the Valley of the Monks, or a long day trip to the Basaseachi waterfall with a guide.

4. Days 4–5

   Divisadero (Thursday–Friday)

   A morning road transfer to Divisadero, about an hour. Two nights on the rim with the Adventure Park and hiking.

5. Day 6

   Cerocahui (Saturday)

   The westbound Regional from Divisadero (about 13:10) to Bahuichivo (about 15:10), then your hotel's transfer to Cerocahui and a sunset trip to the Cerro del Gallego viewpoint over the Urique canyon.

6. Day 7

   Down to the coast (Sunday)

   The westbound Express from Bahuichivo at 11:25 to El Fuerte (14:35) for a final night, then fly out of Los Mochis the next day.

Want a Copper Canyon trip planned around the train days, with hotels and transfers lined up? Our custom trip planning service can do it, and the getting around page covers El Chepe alongside Mexico's other trains.