The Copper Canyon Adventure Park, located near Divisadero and Posada Barrancas, is a must-visit on your Copper Canyon trip. The park has something for everyone, from extreme thriller-seekers to young children, with ziplines, cable cars, mini golf, playgrounds, and more.

Everyone in my family loved our two days exploring the park and I can’t wait to help you figure out what you’re going to do there, too!

Mexico Cassie Copper Canyon Travel Assistance

Before we actually visited the park I struggled to find much information about it, especially when I limited my searching to English language only. My article series on the Copper Canyon is the most comprehensive collection of articles you’ll find anywhere on the internet. I hope you find them helpful

by trying to clear up some potential confusion around visiting the Copper Canyon Adventure Park and Divisadero. Having spent time in the region and having done a great deal of research before our trip, I know that I found it hard to find some information, particularly when I limited to my searching to English language internet searches.

📌 If you’re just in the planning stages of your Copper Canyon trip, be sure to check out my guides to booking the El Chepe Express and everything you need to know about travelling the Copper Canyon via train.

📌 Creel – the El Chepe train starts (or ends) in this pueblo magicio

📌 Cerocahui and Bahuichivo – if you want sleepy, rural isolation, I highly recommend stopping here

📌 Urique – nothing can prepare you for this village deep in the valley (except my article, of course!)

📌 El Fuerte and Chihuahua – cities at either end of the Copper Canyon. They couldn’t be more different but both so well worth visiting

📌 Copper Canyon with Kids – if you are wondering about exploring with children let me tell you that not too many people do it but there’s no reason not to, as long as you’re prepared.

_{I was fortunate enough to have been hosted by the Chihuahua Tourist Office for our day in the Adventure Park but rest assured that this article will be as honest and open as every other article I write. All opinions are my own. There may be affiliate links in the article. If you do purchase anything through these links, I may receive a small fee at no additional cost to you.}

Where Is the Copper Canyon Adventure Park?

🌎 The Copper Canyon Adventure Park (Parque Aventura) is situated in one of the most picturesque areas of the Copper Canyon. It can easily be visited from Divisadero or Posada Barrancas or even Creel, though it’s a bit further away.

🌎 While Divisadero and Posada Barrancas are often discussed together, it’s important to know that they are two separate train stations, about fifteen minutes apart. Your accommodation will likely determine which stop you want, so make sure you know which one is closer to your hotel.

🌎 It’s also worth noting that the Copper Canyon Adventure Park most emphatically is accessible with small children. While they can’t do some of the activities, there is enough there for a family to do together to make it an extremely exciting day out.

If you’re not sure what to pack for a trip to the Copper Canyon, you could do worse than check out my packing list. I’m full of super hints and suggestions. 

The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

Let’s begin with some Adventure Park housekeeping:

📌 Opening Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily

📌 Entry: $25 pesos per person

📌 Do note that if you come in on a bus from your hotel the entry price may be included in the cost of the bus. You can come unstuck here if you then wander off and explore alone as you may be approached and asked to show your ticket (we were asked to show a ticket we didn’t have at one of the viewing areas away from the main park activities). You can explain you entered on a tour bus and it should be fine.

📌 I highly recommend getting to the Adventure Park as early as you can. Although it doesn’t officially open until 9 am, clearly the views are always there, and watching the morning cloud dissipate is something I will never forget.

Transport Options

🚍 Your hotel will most likely offer transport to the Adventure Park. We were staying in Posada Barrancas and our hotel certainly offered a bus to and from the park.

🚍 We opted to take the bus on the first day ($110 pesos each, I think) but walked home as we realised the walk was only forty minutes or so and it gave us more opportunity to explore.

🚍 On our second day in the park, we walked there but paid the quad bike guys to drive us back to our hotel as the kids were tired and it seemed like a fun thing to do. I think the guys were a bit surprised as usually they drive people around the forest but they were perfectly happy to take us and the price was reasonable ($150 pesos for each bike – we needed two for four of us). The kids claimed this was the most exciting thing they’d ever done.

But What Exactly Is In The Copper Canyon Adventure Park?

The Adventure Park (Parque De Aventura) is home to a cable car, the world’s second longest zipline, a seven-zipline adventure course, a via ferrata and much, much more. I’ll go through the activities one by one and explain how they work.

Tickets for every activity are purchased in the main building. You can only book for activities when it’s clear they can open: this seems to be determined by weather. If it is cloudy, raining or there’s a storm forecast then the attractions don’t open.

We had to wait, for example, to sign up for the zipline as it only ran briefly in the morning before closing for a few hours. It opened again after lunch, around 2 pm and everyone rushed forward to grab an insurance declaration form and to pay before the zipline shut again.

While I understand it could be frustrating to find yourself in the Copper Canyon Adventure Park on a day that looks calm to you but is considered too cloudy or windy to run certain activities, safety is absolutely paramount in a park such as this one.

For this reason, we allotted ourselves two days to explore the park and surrounding area. To be honest, one day wouldn’t be enough time to do every activity available, should you wish to do so, anyway.

Exploring The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

I think it can be hard to figure out the Copper Canyon Adventure Park, especially if you show up on foot. As noted above, there is a $25 peso entry fee to the park. This is bought at a very unassuming pay point on a pathway in. You then have a 15-30 minute walk, where the views are truly stupendous, up to the activities and the park building. There are a few viewpoints (miradors) along here that you can follow around to the market and park building, or you can walk through the forest area, either along the road or paths that run nearby. We really enjoyed exploring the whole place. If you have time to walk along the edge of the canyon and get into the forest area, you won’t be disappointed.

Looking for somewhere thrilling but less intense for a family vacation in Mexico? How about a few days in the pueblo magico of Tapalpa? We had a blast exploring around here. Or perhaps you’d enjoy a volcano trip in Colima. 

Top Activities at the Copper Canyon Adventure Park

There are so many things to do at the Adventure Park and, truthfully, we didn’t get a chance to do them all – due both to time constraints and weather. Here’s a rundown of the top activities to help you decide how much time you’ll want to spend here.

Cable Car (Teleferico)

🚠 The cable car runs from beside the Adventure Park ticket office to a viewing point in the middle of the canyon. There are two cars and they run every thirty minutes (every 15 in peak season).

🚠 Each car can carry 60 passengers at a time and each journey takes ten minutes.

🚠 Because we were hosted in the park, I got to spend time with the Director, Abraham, asking him every question I wanted to ask (poor guy!). My favourite fact I got from him is that the cable car was put in place using helicopters. It isn’t a traditional cable car with pylons holding up cabling, which feels weird when you’re in the middle but seriously, it’s cool that helicopters were used to install it, right?

🚠 The cable car runs for 2,700 metres across the canyon and the views are just spectacular. I would imagine that pretty much everyone who spends any time in the adventure park takes a ride on the cable car.

🚠 Cost: $250 pesos per person, $130 pesos for children (3-12) or $650 pesos for a family (parents and up to three children)

To read more about exploring the Copper Canyon with your kids, click here.

Top Tips For Taking The Cable Car In The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

🚠 On the way out try and get yourself to the front left corner if you can. If not, anywhere along that left side will offer the most spectacular views.

🚠 If you have little kids with you, don’t be shy about helping them get forward to ensure they can see out of the windows too. Little kids won’t be blocking anyone else’s view.

🚠 Try to take the first cable car of the day as it is incredible to be the first people off and explore the viewpoint entirely alone. We sat and watched the clouds dissipating for hours.

🚠 On the way back you may be lucky enough to see people doing the via ferrata as you approach the end of the ride. We found it fascinating to watch.

Ziprider

📌 Until recently this zipline at 2,530m, was the longest in the world (jokey fist shake at the UAE here for stealing that title!).

📌 I have to admit that I wussed out of going on this. I spent the entire night before we went to the park trying to psych myself up for the ride but I’m just not an adrenaline junky. Speed and heights do nothing except terrify me, especially when they’re combined. Luckily for my readers, my husband is the complete opposite and couldn’t wait to try out the Copper Canyon zipline (before you vow never to read my blog again because I’m such a wuss, let me tell you that I did an entire zipline activity course in the canyons around Las Vegas as part of our wedding party – due to freak winds and my lack of weight I got stranded hanging above a canyon. See, I have done cool and scary stuff so keep on reading…).

📌 Col’s verdict? He loved it and seriously considered doing it for a second time he thought it was so much fun. He said that the ride is basically, “total, incredible, exhilaration for the first twenty seconds or so and then an opportunity to breathe and try to take in the stupendous views”.

📌 This is 2,530m of zipline and it takes a whole 2-3 minutes to zoom from one end to the other. Yes. Seriously. You reach speeds of 80 – 135 km an hour in those two or three short minutes. Wow.

📌 Once you’re done you then have an 800m walk up to the cable car to get back. The walk is uphill and can take up to 30 minutes so do take this into account when deciding if you’re going to ride the zipline.

📌 This ride is clearly an adult-only activity. The rules state that you must be between 45kg and 120kg to ride. I also think I saw a sign saying you have to be under 65 years old too.

📌 The zipline, like many other park activities, only runs in good weather. Abraham was very clear with me that he considers this to be the safest zipline in the whole of Mexico. He told me that they had new harnesses developed specifically for their ride and that they are always in full compliance with every safety regulation.

📌 Cost: $1000 pesos per person

Top Tips For Riding The Zipliner In The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

📌 Col wore a sweater and body warmer to go on the zipline. It was a bright but cool day when we were there. His recommendation would be to wear less than he did as the walk back was steep and he was extremely sweaty in his layers as you can’t remove the harness to get at the layers until you’re back at the cable car.

📌 Have a good camera ready. We took our Olympus Tough camera, which has a decent video function but we might have preferred a head mounted GoPro style camera for the handsfree option.

Zipline (Tirolesas)

📌 The website for the Copper Canyon Adventure Park claims this is the longest zipline system in the world. Sadly, we didn’t have a chance to find out as we didn’t have time to complete it, partly because our kids are too small and partly because there’s so much to do and see in the park.  

📌 There is over 5km of zipline across seven ziplines and two bridges with a return to base on the cable car. The longest of the ziplines is over 1km long and 480m above the valley. Speeds reached on these ziplines are between 65km – 110km per hour.

📌 It is recommended to leave 1.5 to 2 hours available for this activity.

📌 This zipline activity is open to people over 40kg and under 120kg.

📌 Children over 10 can ride, strapped to either a parent or an instructor. Obviously, to be strapped to a parent, disclaimer forms must be signed. From about 14 years old kids can go alone as long as the harness fits safely.

📌 Cost: $600 pesos per person

Top Tips For Taking The Zipline In The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

📌 Gloves. Everyone was wearing gloves here so I assume this is chillier than the ziprider experience.

Via Ferrata

This looked to me to basically be an assault course on the edge of the cliffs. It only runs when conditions are truly perfect so although we saw people on the course early in the day, by the time we were free to have a go (husband. Emphatically not me), it was closed and then didn’t reopen again. Instead, we made do with watching people both whilst we were on our return journey in the cable car and from the amazing glass floor in the restaurant.

📌 This experience includes 48m of rappelling, five hanging bridges of varying difficulty, 2 caves, a tarzan jump and 450 m of semi-climbing.

📌 The activity takes between 1.5 and 2 hours and is only open to adults as it is the most technically difficult activity in the park.

📌 There is a minimum height of 1m20 and a maximum weight of 120kg.

📌 Cost: $450 pesos per person

Walking and Cycling

The Copper Canyon Adventure Park has great opportunities for both hiking and cycling. Check out the maps by the children’s playground for more information. There are bikes for hire (for adults) on site.

Aerial Walkway (Bosque Aereo)

🌳 This is a guided activity is for adults and older children (over 10).

🌳 It is a treetop walkway with ten hanging bridges and one zipline.

🌳 We asked if our kids could have a go given that they have done similar activities elsewhere but the harnesses here aren’t made to fit smaller kids.

🌳 It has a height requirement of 1m50 and a weight requirement of between 25kg and 90kg. Anyone doing this activity must be able to reach the safety line and connect themselves to it with confidence.

🌳 Cost $250 pesos per person

Activities For Children In The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

The adventure park has plenty to entertain children, once you’ve done the cable car and marvelled at the view. There is a good playground for little ones on site, which obviously is free.

Mini Golf (Golfito)

⛳️ This mini golf course is located just down from the playground. I bet not many people have played mini golf with such incredible views.

⛳️ Cost $50 pesos per person

⛳️ By the mini golf course is a small, child-sized zipline that my kids loved having to themselves. We spent hours there as they zoomed up and down.

Climbing Wall (Rocodromo)

In the playground, you’ll immediately spot a 7m high climbing wall. The wall is available for anyone who weighs between 25kg and 75kg (here both my four-year-old and husband waited on the sidelines sulking slightly while the six-year-old and I had all the fun!).

Cost $50 pesos per person for three goes.

Train (Tren)

🚂 There is a small train that takes people around the site.

🚂 Cost $150 pesos per person one way

Eating In The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

You certainly have options for food here. In the official park building, there is a very nice, reasonably priced, restaurant with the most incredible views over the canyon. The restaurant also has a section of glass floor from which you can look right down into the canyon. Our kids had a grand old time here dancing, meditating (well, pretending to) and generally being silly.

If you don’t fancy eating here then there is a large market area outside where there are plenty of food options. The food was truly delicious. We ate in the market both days (although we also ate in the restaurant so that I could, hand on heart, tell you it was good there too). We had chile poblanos, various tacos and corn.

It’s also possible to get ice creams and other snacks in the park.

Shopping At The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

Yes, there are opportunities to buy both park merchandise (inside the park building) and Tarahumara tourist items in the market. Our kids loved perusing the market.

Where To Stay When Visiting The Copper Canyon Adventure Park

There are a number of options for hotels in the area. In Divisadero, there’s one famous hotel but most options are in Posada Barrancas. Note that when searching for accommodation options here, you’ll want to look for “Areponapuchi”, as that’s the name of the nearest village.

Hotel Divisadero Barrancas

Hotel Divisadero Barrancas is the most famous hotel claiming that it has the best view over the canyon, which means that it’s also one of the most popular Copper Canyon hotels.

Hotel Mansion Tarahumara

We stayed in Mansion Tarahumara (also called Hotel Castillo). It seems to be somewhere that large tour groups stay as well as individuals. The hotel offers room and board or just room and breakfast. We opted for just breakfast but ended up eating in the restaurant in the evening too as there was little else around.

As a brief review of the hotel: Cheaper rooms are individual cottages (sort of like in a holiday club). They were pretty nice. Ours included a small kitchen. The pool and hot tub were a very welcome addition for all of us. While we did eat in the hotel I can’t pretend we enjoyed our meals there. Breakfast was a buffet but with a very limited choice. Other meals were a case of ‘eat what we have made’. Honestly, if we’d had other options we’d have taken them. In fact, one night we cooked quick cook noodles in our room rather than eat in the restaurant. The staff were very friendly though.

On our last day, we realised that there is a mirador up above the hotel. We climbed up to check it out and were amazed by the views into the adventure park. We even watched the zipliners zooming around.

Hotel Mirador

Hotel Mirador (Part of the Baldarama chain) – see the photo above. My parents stayed here in November 2018. They loved it, the views were incredible (as you can work out for yourself from the photo). There were big tour groups in the hotel but my parents said it wasn’t a problem. The food was impressive given the size of the place.

🏨 See rates and availability at all hotels near the Copper Canyon Adventure Park here.

Getting There And Away

If you want to know more about taking the train, do check out my article all about it, especially as it gives hints as to where to wait for the train when it is inevitably delayed. Next stop along the way is Bahuichivo where you can stop to explore Cerochaui and Urique.

It is worth confirming with your hotel whether they pick you up from the station or whether you’re meant to make your own way there.

Climate Around The Adventure Park

In the middle of summer it was chilly in the early morning and early evening. During the day we were fine in shorts and t-shirt. My parents, visiting in November said they were cold at night and in the morning, but by midday were back in t-shirts.

If you’re not sure what to pack for your trip through the Copper Canyon, check out my helpful packing list here. 

I must end this article by saying a big thank you to the Chihuahua Tourist Board for hosting my family for a day in the Copper Canyon Adventure Park. We all had a fantastic time exploring and all agreed that this was one of the best days of our trip. If anyone is at all worried that the Copper Canyon, or the Adventure Park are not suitable for small children, let me emphatically state that both are perfect for kids.

I always try to write super useful articles, answering the questions I think people might have about exploring Mexico. MexicoCassie is a labour of love. If you find my site useful and have a few spare coins to help with the exploring and writing, I would never forget your kindness.

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