Sumidero Canyon National Park, located very close to the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez in the state of Chiapas, in Mexico, will have a new observation deck from which visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the canyon, the Grijalva River, and the area’s flora and fauna.
This observation deck will consist of a cantilevered structure located at the highest point of the canyon, allowing visitors to view the navigable section of the Grijalva River from a height of more than 1,000 meters. It will be circular in shape, allowing visitors to view the Sumidero Canyon from every possible angle, with a 24 meters in diameter.
The observation deck will feature three transparent tempered-glass windows in the floor and will be specially designed to withstand earthquakes and to have a minimal impact on the environment, with the aim of blending the observation deck into the landscape.
To minimize the environmental impact, the proposal is to build the lookout point at a location where there is already an existing impact, such as the old El Tepehuaje lookout point, which is located very close to the Los Chiapa lookout point; the two will be connected by a new trail approximately 480 meters long, Thus, both observation decks share their facilities and services.
In addition, reforestation efforts will be carried out in some areas, and 200 square meters of parking spaces will be removed, improving the views from this canyon. The future facility will make it possible to increase the number of visitors by 25%.
