Sumidero Canyon
National Park
Central Depression of ChiapasDesignated in 1980217 km²
A river canyon up to 1,000 metres deep, the scene of the Chiapanec people's last stand against the Spanish
Area
217 km²
Protection category
IUCN II
Parque nacional —
Designated in
1980
Declared in 1980, it protects a canyon cut by the Grijalva River over millions of years, with walls that in places rise more than 1,000 vertical metres. The canyon also carries a deep historical weight: by tradition, in 1528 hundreds of Chiapanec people threw themselves from its crags rather than surrender to the Spanish conquistadors, an episode that Chiapanec regional identity commemorates to this day. The boat trip along it offers sightings of river crocodiles and a rock wall known as "the Christmas tree", for the moss and mineral formations that cover it.
Location
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Sumidero Canyon: 56 documented species
Mammals17Birds21Reptiles4Amphibians
Flora and ecosystems
Ecosystems found in Mexico, where Sumidero Canyon lies.
Tropical rainforestDesertMarine / coastal
Experiences in this park
Birdwatching
Wildlife you can see now
What is worth looking out for this month in Mexico?
Now is a good time: Veracruz River of Raptors (20 August to 20 November (peak in the first two weeks of October))
Now is a good time: Great white shark aggregation at Guadalupe Island (July to November (some years into January))
Similar parks
Which other parks are like this one?
Same country: Mexico
Same country: Mexico
Same country: Mexico
Same country: Mexico
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about this park.
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