Sumidero Canyon National Park Park

Address: Sumidero Canyon National Park, Chiapas, Mexico (main access at Chiapa de Corzo)

Website: https://www.gob.mx/semarnat

Hours: Daily, park access hours vary; boat tours typically run 8am-5pm

Admission: Entrance to the national park free; boat tour prices vary (approx. MXN 150-400 depending on route)

Sumidero Canyon National Park is a protected canyon on the Grijalva River in Chiapas, Mexico. It was designated a national park in 1980 and is noted for its steep, near-vertical canyon walls.

The canyon runs for roughly 13 kilometers along the river, with cliff faces reaching about 1,000 meters in places. Boat excursions that follow the river through the gorge are the main visitor activity and pass under towering walls and through narrow stretches, while rim viewpoints provide panoramic vistas of the gorge and river.

Boat trips from Chiapa de Corzo typically take around 1.5 to 2 hours and are the most common way to experience the canyon; short trails, lookout platforms, and scenic drives along the rim provide alternative viewpoints. Wildlife in the park includes crocodiles, various monkey species, and numerous bird species seen from both river and rim.

The canyon was carved by the Grijalva River over geologic time and the area has long been an important river corridor for local communities. The Mexican government established the area as a national park in 1980 to protect the canyon walls, river ecosystem, and surrounding rainforest.

The park sits on the Grijalva River in central Chiapas, adjacent to the town of Chiapa de Corzo and near the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez. The protected corridor runs through a tropical rainforest landscape with steep canyon walls rising directly from the river.

• Boat trips: Typical boat trips take about 1.5 to 2 hours and cover the main stretch of the canyon, making wildlife sightings and cliff views the primary experience.
• Best viewpoints: Early morning and late afternoon offer the best light and fewer tour groups at the rim viewpoints.

What to See#

• Grijalva River cruise: Boat excursions travel the canyon along the Grijalva River for roughly 13 kilometers, typically running from Chiapa de Corzo through the narrowest sections and returning to the town.
• Rim miradores: A series of paved roadside viewing platforms on the canyon rim provide panoramic overlooks of the gorge; several are clustered near the park entrances and along the rim road.

Main access is via Chiapa de Corzo (about 12 km southeast of Tuxtla Gutiérrez); regular road connections from Tuxtla allow day trips. Boat tours depart from the riverside docks in Chiapa de Corzo and are the primary way to experience the canyon’s interior.

• Take a river boat tour from Chiapa de Corzo to see the canyon's vertical walls up close; tours run roughly 1.5-2 hours.
• Bring a light jacket - the river corridor can be cool and shaded even on hot days.
• Visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the largest tourist groups and to catch better light for photos.