Barranca del Cobre Southern Rim Trail
Mexico's Grand Canyon with serious consequences
The Barranca del Cobre Southern Rim Trail traces the knife-edge rim of Mexico’s Grand Canyon, following Tarahumara hunting paths and mining roads along cliffs that drop 6,000 feet into the Rio Urique. This technical route connects remote Tarahumara settlements like Basaseachic and Cusárare, navigating boulder fields and exposed ledges where one wrong move means a very long fall. The trail passes ancient cave dwellings and offers heart-stopping viewpoints into six interconnected canyons that dwarf Arizona’s famous gorge.
Difficult rating reflects serious exposure, technical rock crawling, and the remoteness factor — help is days away if things go wrong. You need a short-wheelbase 4WD with rock sliders and experienced spotters for the cliff sections. Dry season from October through May offers the safest conditions when flash flood risk drops. Respect Tarahumara land by camping only at designated spots and packing out all trash. Fuel and supplies in Creel, then you’re on your own. The payoff is Mexico’s most dramatic canyon scenery and a glimpse into one of North America’s last indigenous strongholds.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Rock |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 62 mi / 99.8 km |
| Duration | 3-4 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 7234 ft |
| Best season | October-May |
| Minimum vehicle | Short-wheelbase 4WD with rock protection |
| Nearest town | Creel, Chihuahua |
| Land manager | Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a long-wheelbase truck like a full-size F-250 run this trail?
No. Long-wheelbase rigs will hang up on the tight switchbacks and exposed rock ledges along the rim. Short-wheelbase 4WD is the minimum, and skid plates plus rock sliders are not optional on this one.
Is the trail passable in summer?
Summer is the worst time to attempt this — July through September is monsoon season in the Sierra Tarahumara, and the clay-over-rock surface turns into a greased skillet. Stick to October through May when the trail is dry and the views aren't buried in storm clouds.
Do you need permits or special permissions to drive the Southern Rim?
The route passes through Área Natural Protegida Barranca del Cobre, managed by CONANP, and crosses ejido (communal) land belonging to Tarahumara communities. Stop and ask permission when passing through villages — it's both legally expected and the right thing to do. No centralized permit office exists, so show respect and carry cash to pay any informal access fees communities may request.
What's the hardest section and what makes it serious?
The cliff-edge rock shelves between km 40–55 are where consequences get real — narrow shelf roads with sheer canyon drops of hundreds of feet, zero guardrails, and loose rock that shifts under tires. A mistake here isn't a recovery situation; it's a fatal one. No winch point, no turnaround, and no cell service to call for help.
How much fuel range do you need, and where's the last reliable gas before the trail?
Creel is your last guaranteed fuel stop — fuel up completely before leaving town. The 62-mile route takes 3–4 days of low-speed technical driving, but fuel burns fast at altitude in 4-low. Carry a minimum of a full tank plus a spare 5-gallon jerry can; there is no fuel along the route.
Trail track
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