At the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain, the Mexican state of Chihuahua is sharpening its pitch as an international hub for nature, adventure and extreme sports, anchored by the vast Barrancas del Cobre, or Copper Canyon. This multi-canyon system is four times bigger than the Grand Canyon and twice as deep.

Based on the success of Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre adventure park, which includes 7 ziplines and a cable railway, Julio Chávez, Director of Tourism Promotion for the State of Chihuahua told Breaking Travel News that this year, the state will begin construction on an additional adventure park in the Guachochi municipality within the Barrancas del Cobre canyon. “It will include rock climbing, ziplines and it’s going to have a very interesting offering which is the sky coaster; like a pendulum swing ride,” he said.

The Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre, which opened in 2014, re-opened to great acclaim in August 2025 after an exhaustive maintenance update. The 3 km-long cable of its cable car was replaced, and its lower station now operates with lithium batteries instead of diesel. Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre also includes rock climbing, family friendly activities and a 2,554 meters-long ZipRider with speed between 80–135 km per hour.

Asked whether adventure and sports are the main focus this year, Chávez said Tourism Secretary Edibray Gómez has been working hard to bring international sports events to Chihuahua. “We made an agreement with the Mont Blanc ultramarathon, one of the most important at an international level, to host right here at the Barrancas del Cobre, the home of our Rarámuri brothers.” The second edition of Chihuahua by UTMB will take place from October 1 through the 3rd at the Sierra Tarahumara. 

The Rarámuri indigenous community, native to the challenging geography of the Sierra, are renowned worldwide for their extraordinary physical endurance. The word “rarámuri” means light-footed ones, and for generations, their way of life has relied on running as a means of transportation and spiritual practice between communities. Now, with the ultramarathon taking place in their land and with their participation, the world gets to experience in an unprecedented way their traditions and their authentic way of life.

Chávez explained that the state is working on connecting visitors with the Rarámuri indigenous communities in a more structured way, providing them with training programs “so they can devise their own cultural, sport, historic products and offer them directly to tourists,” he said.