Showdown: Grand Canyon vs. Barrancas del Cobre

Which is the best, The Grand Canyon or The Copper Canyon? Find out which of these two natural wonders is the king of the canyons.

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Superman vs. Batman. King Kong vs Godzilla. Luke vs Darth. Pick your epic battle. What is life without a bit of friendly competition?

Lets first get one thing out of the way: they’re both great. However, like most things in life, there can only be just one #1.

I’ve been to both, and here is my take on the matter. Drop me a comment at the bottom if you agree, or fully and thoroughly disagree with the results.

Here are the categories we’ll be grading on to generate an overall score, ultimately crowning the king:

• Hikes & activities: get some boots on the ground!
• Size: yes, it matters…
• Wow factor: which one will sweep you off your feet?
• Accessibility: what if you want to see for yourself?

Let the games begin!

Round 1: Hiking and activities

Getting a look from the rim is a different experience than going down there and seeing it yourself. No doubt that if you like hiking, you can’t go wrong with either canyon. Both will give you the breathtaking sunrises and the romantic sunsets. Both will have options for demanding, long treks, and both will give you options for shorter, easier hikes.

In the Copper Canyon, if you hire a guide, he/she will likely be of Rarámuri (Tarahumara) origin. These are the people who run ultra-marathon distances in these hills nearly barefoot. I’ve had the opportunity to be guided by a senior, former runner, and he could glide through the terrain making it look easy. You get to see some great views of the river, and get to feel the Sierra Madre flora and fauna.

In addition to hiking, you can also find the following activities at the Copper Canyon:

• Biking
• El Chepe train ride, with great views of the canyon
• Adventure Park with zip lines, an aerial forest, rappel, climb, suspension bridges, a Tarzan jump, and a cableway ride (Teleférico)

The Grand Canyon will give you some amazing views as well. You get to admire the rock formations up close and personal. There is an appreciation of the vastness while hiking its trails. Although there is much less vegetation, this allows for getting a great appreciation of the magnitude of the place while you’re hiking in it. This makes it a very special place to hike in. In addition to hiking, the Grand Canyon offers the following activities:

• Mule trips
• Cycling – you can bring your bike!
• Rafting in the Colorado River
• Camping
• Grand Canyon Railway – yes, there’s a train that takes you to the Grand Canyon, too!

One added plus is that the hikes are well documented. If you’re a boy scout in the US, you might just get the opportunity to camp there.

Round 1 winner: The Grand Canyon

Round 2: Size

We all know the saying: “bigger is better.” So which one is the largest of the two, anyway?

This round is quite objective. Not much room for opinion here. As an engineer by trade, I like to look at the more measurable metrics. This makes for an easier way to find a clear-cut winner. Lets get to it!

Candidate	Area (mi2)	Depth (ft)
Grand Canyon	1,902	6,000
Copper Canyon	25,000	5,700

One important point to note is that the Copper Canyon system is larger, but the Grand Canyon itself is larger than any of the individual canyons that make up the Copper Canyon system.

By the numbers, the Copper Canyon is the larger one.

Round 2 winner: Copper Canyon

Round 3: Wow factor

Earth has certainly gifted us with two beauties. The Grand Canyon often sets the bar of excellence for beauty and grandeur. The sight of the Colorado River piercing through the canyon gives you a perspective of its sheer size. Its dry, rocky look gives it a rough, antique view when the sunset hits. Once the sun starts to set, the colors in the sky will look amazing. This sight is rivaled by few, and is admired by many (about 6 million visitors in 2019).

With far less visitors, the Copper Canyon is a very different sight to see. Its size will also wow you, but it features a very different landscape that carries a punch from the rim as well. This canyon gets its “Copper” name from the color of its red/green walls. It also hosts more vegetation, giving it a more diverse look. The canyon was formed by a system of rivers, and that gives it the unique trait of having different looks, each carrying its own punch.

Driving from Creel, to El Divisadero, to Batopilas will give you some unique, jaw-dropping views. Riding El Chepe train, will give you another unique, breathtaking perspective as well.

I have to admit, this is a hard pick. Nobody said this would be easy. Due to its vastness and diversity of views of its entire system, the Copper Canyon takes this round.

Round 3 winner: Copper Canyon

Round 4: Accessibility

It doesn’t matter if it’s pretty, if you can’t see it yourself. Getting there, finding accommodations, and exploring the canyon do matter. Some may argue that the more difficult to reach it makes it that much more enjoyable and special.

The Copper Canyon is located deep in the state of Chihuahua, in Mexico. You can either drive there, take a bus, or take the only passenger train in Mexico, El Chepe. The train is a wonderful, relaxing experience that will give you great views directly from your seat.

You will find hotels in El Divisadero and Creel at a relatively low cost. There will almost always be rooms available. You can also rent cabins. Creel is considered a pueblo mágico (one of my favorites in Mexico!), and you can use it as your base station to explore. You also need to check out Hotel Divisadero so you can redefine what a room “with a view” really means…

The Grand Canyon can be reached by flying into Phoenix, AZ, or Las Vegas, NV. Best way to enjoy it is to rent a car and drive there. The park itself allows you to drive to several of the watch points. You park your car, walk a few meters, and voila, you’re at the rim.

The Grand Canyon also offers different restaurants and shops right near the rim. This takes away some charm out of the “exploring experience,” but makes it extremely accessible. Watch out, though. Some of the hotels in the actual canyon park may require reservations with more than a year in advance.

Hard to beat the accommodations, restaurants and accessibility by the Grand Canyon. Note, however, that if you prefer the “road less traveled,” the Copper Canyon may be a bit more off the beaten path.

Round 4 winner: The Grand Canyon

Final Results

This has turned out to be more of a Rocky Balboa vs. Drago type fight. Both battling it to the end…but again, there can only be one winner.

The overall winner: The Copper Canyon

Copper canyon vs Grand Canyon, which is the best? The Copper Canyon offers the best travel experience.

Summary:

• The Copper Canyon is a huge park! It certainly also packs the wow factor. No shortage of breathtaking, diverse views in its immense system that stretches for miles
• Hikes are good, and also give you a sense of exploration
• It’s the road less traveled. Much less visitors, you get a more intimate experience with nature
• Accessibility is a challenge, but sometimes you just have to take the road less traveled. Note that although it falls short to the Grand Canyon, there’s also an Adventure Park at El Divisadero that will give you a thrill run
• Bonus: You’ll experience the strong cultural presence of the Rarámuri while visiting

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Some additional images of the Copper Canyon:

See additional images of the Grand Canyon:

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Let me know what you think!

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