There are 5 different climate zones in the Copper Canyon, 3 of which you will pass through on any of our Amigo Trails trips.; pine/oak forest in the upper sierra, deciduous forest in the middle to lower regions and subtropical climates at the canyon bottoms.

The Upper Sierra (Creel, Divisadero) is rainy in summer, from mid June to early September with rain falling daily starting around 1pm to 4pm. Some days are sunny and cloudy without rain, but that is the exception to the rule. An umbrella and raincoat are great to have along if you are traveling during rainy season.

Fall is September through November and this is when the waterfalls are all at their most full. It begins to cool off in mid fall, around the end of October and a jacket is required at night from mid October onwards.

Winter is from the end of November to the end of March and we do get snowfall in the upper sierra of Creel and Divisadero. Sometimes it is just a light dusting, but other times we get a good batch of snow. However, the snow does not stick for long here due to the elevation, and will dissipate by midday on the roads unless it continues to fall all day long, which only occurs occasionally.

It is windy in both March and April with daily winds in the upper and lower sierra. This is also springtime and it is the driest part of the year is from April through mid June so it can be dusty at times.

May and June are excellent times of the year to come here for a visit if you are looking for peace and quiet, as these two months are the only ones considered to be 'low season'. Prices rarely change here because the low season is so short, but you will have the canyons to yourselves for the most part during these months.

Temperatures at the bottom of any canyons are always hot, even in winter months, just more mildly so, but in the summer they can get up to 130 degrees F.

In wintertime they stay comfortably hot at around 85F. or so, fluctuating throughout the day and depending largely upon the weather in the Upper Sierra. In the wintertime, one needs at least a light sweater even in the canyon bottoms for evenings and mornings as it can be crisp but it will heat up quickly.

FYI: The weather in any canyon system can change dramatically from moment to moment so one should always come prepared, no matter what the season, with a wide variety of clothing. We recommend you plan to wear layers so you are always comfortable.

We also recommend you always buy your own Trip Insurance when traveling in the Copper Canyon due to the steep mountain roads. It can come in especially handy in the wintertime (late November – early March) as the roads can be treacherous at times and the train tracks do get icy, all of which can lead to delays or unexpected problems or cancellations that are out of our control.