The area was mostly uninhabited before European arrival. Once Spaniards began forming ranches on the plains of Chihuahua the native Raramuri began moving back into the canyons. The almost militant Jesuits soon followed. The Jesuits were forced out of Mexico after the Spanish crown discovered they were smuggling gold back to Europe; leaving the Raramuri in peace. Franciscans replaced the Jesuits throughout much of Mexico but never succeeded in penetrating the Sierra Tarahumara. Today there are a few Jesuit missionaries back in the area. The lack of any church leadership in the area for hundreds of years resulted in the hybrid Christian-traditional religious beliefs that the Raramuri exhibit today.
The Copper Canyon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Though the area would be Mexico's star national park, it thus far has no official status as a park as efforts to make it so have been hampered by disagreements between loggers and the native Raramuri.
The canyon area is rich in biodiversity, cultural history and is the site of a growing tourist infrastructure. As previously mentioned, the town of Creel is probably the most popular gateway to the canyonlands – it feels like the end of the line even though it is not. However the town of Hidalgo de Parall to the south of Chihuahua City is a good alternative and is useful for exploring the largely overlooked Sinforosa Canyon one of the deepest canyons.
