Divisadero, a train stop without a village, is your only chance to see into the miraculous canyon if you’re just doing the train ride. All trains halt here for 20 minutes, giving you enough time to jump out, gawk, snap some pics at the viewpoint and hop back on.
You can just discern a tiny fragment of the Río Urique at the bottom of the actual Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon). Ration your time carefully, as the station is also a souvenir market and spectacular food court. Gorditas (masa cakes, some made with blue corn), burritos and chiles rellenos (chilies stuffed with meat or cheese), cooked up in makeshift oil-drum stoves, are worth the stop alone. Gobble your food up quickly – the conductors aren’t supposed to allow food back onto the train. All this, together with the nearby adventure park 1.5km south, means a stay of longer than 20 minutes is a great idea. I planned to stay a couple of days.
What I am doing
- Via Ferrata
- Tirolesas
- Hiking
Where I am sleeping
Hotel Divisadero Barrancas.Right by the canyon viewpoint, rooms are modern with a logcabin feel, though are a bit pricey for the digs. The original units lack views (what were they thinking?), but the newer rooms (Nos 35 to 52) have astonishing vistas. At the very least, all guests can enjoy the views from the picture windows in the restaurant and lounge.
Where I am eating
Mercado Divisidero. At the foot of the train station sits the Divisidero market with stall-upon-stall of eateries selling mostly tacos, burritos and gorditas (stuffed thick tortillas) filled with a huge variety of homemade goodness like grilled steak, seasoned chicken, nopales (cactus) and even chiles rellenos (chilies stuffed with meat or cheese).
El Chepe 