Waterfalls & Rivers
It rains a lot on tropical islands. El Yunque rainforest receives upwards of 150 inches of rain a year. All that water needs to go somewhere. Rivers run to the sea, but not before they gift us with some awesome natural formations to visit. Many of these locations are called “charcos”, charcos are swimming holes that have formed along a river’s path. They are scattered all over the island. There are so many charcos and waterfalls scattered across the island that I feel quite sure I will never see them all. Here are some of the best I have seen:
This unique spot is located on the south side of El Yunque. There is a spot or two for cliff jumping, a rope swing, and two natural water slides. Park in the private lot for $5 cash. Then, hike along the trail (ask around if you are unsure where that is) until you reach a swimming hole with a rope swing. You’ll need to pay $2 per person to cross private property, a man will be waiting to collect. Alternatively, you can follow the river directly until you arrive for free, though I have not tried this. Cross the river to get to the rope swing and follow the trail on that side of the river and you’ll find the first water slide which is the longer and better one. If the water is brown and intense only use the bigger slide, not the smaller one pictured as it can be unsafe.
This waterfall and swimming hole is a pleasant flat hike through the forest along a river arriving at a large pool. Either skirt around the pool to the left and use the rope to climb up to the waterfall, or swim through the pool and scramble up on the right. This is one of the tallest waterfalls in Puerto Rico. The cascading water fills the air with a mist that lights up in the sunshine. You can go stand under the waterfall by scrambling along the rock on the right side which is extremely slippery. You’ll know you are at the trailhead when you see a small wooden Puertorican flag with “Bienvenidos, Welcome” painted below it. The hike will take around 20-30 min each way. Prepare to get wet as there is a river crossing right at the start that is unavoidable (depending on the season). There are a couple of spots that are very muddy as well. Be cautious if it has been raining a lot and consider leaving if you notice the water increasing in volume and intensity or suddenly changing color as flash floods can happen here.
Cañón Blanco (White Canyon) is a strikingly unique section of river located in Utuado. Water has cut a path through the white rock creating a narrow canyon. The water is warm and the depth varies depending on rainfall. Park here or here. The best spot to hang out in the water is next to El Sofá, a vaguely sofa-shaped rock you can sit on. Look out for glass on the river bottom. If it’s busy you can dodge the crowds here. The view of the canyon stretching out in front of you with a tall, lone mountain on the horizon is striking and one of the best views in the region. I saw a couple of petroglyphs and friendly goats my first time here.
The so-called sand caves (also known as Charco Azul) could be a gateway to Narnia, they look so magical. A short hike down a steep street and through a stream brings you to a high-ceilinged cave. You’ll need to swim to get to it. The cave goes all the way through revealing a smaller, clear stream on the other side. Natural clay deposits can be found on the stream bed here that you can rub on your skin, treat yo’ self! Inside the cave, you can climb up the rock and jump into the river running through the narrow cave from about 20 feet up. Parking costs $5 on Junior and Diana’s property (a really nice couple), try one of their homemade limbers, they’re so good!
La Piedra Escrita is an incredible location you must visit if you are touring the interior of the island. A large boulder sits beached in the middle of a river in Jayuya. Park in a large lot in front of the La Escrita restaurant for free. Walk away from the road to find a long wooden boardwalk suffering from the elements and termites. Walking down its switchbacks will take you to the river, right in front of the boulder. The rock is covered in Taíno petroglyphs. You can jump off, or slide down the boulder into the river. I was surprised to see a large group of local boys sliding down the rock, right over the petroglyphs when I arrived, but I guess that too is part of this location’s history. The river is warm and the surrounding mountains add to the wonder of this very special spot.
This natural water slide and swimming hole is close to El Yunque, which means a lot of tour guides stop by this location. It costs $5 to park in front of someone’s property and $1 to walk through their property. The walk can be a little muddy and slippery. Walk up the rock on the right side of the slide. Be careful, it is very slippery! When sliding down, sit up and run your hands over the rock as you go down for balance – like sitting in a chair with armrests. After the slide, walk down the river a ways to find a large swimming hole.
Down a dirt road in Adjuntas is a very peaceful swimming hole. The water is clean and clear, on one side the water is shallow, and on the other is a rope swing over deeper water. In the canopy above you can spot Puerto Rico’s national flower hanging from a tall maga tree.
This long, skinny waterfall is also known as the Devil’s Throat. It runs into a shallow pool that is perfect for cooling off after the hot hike through the woods. Birders will enjoy this one as the one-hour hike meanders through a forest full of birds (and mangos).
Charco El Hippie is a popular swimming hole located in the municipality of Naguabo, Puerto Rico on private land, which means you’ll need to pay $5 for parking. This natural pool receives water from a small, cascading waterfall. You can climb up the rocks on one side to hop into the water below. Make sure to do a depth-check before you jump as it can get tricky when the water level is low with a very shallow section on the right of the jumper pictured below. The name “El Hippie” comes from the area apparently once being a popular hangout spot for hippies in the 1960s.
Driving through Toro Negro State Forest in Orocovis, you’ll pass this beautiful waterfall. The road turns into a bridge to go over the stream just out of view of the photo. Park on the road near a restaurant and gift shop. Sit on the bridge, or scramble down the rocks to the pool at the foot of the waterfall to enjoy this picturesque spot. The water is cold, but we had fun swimming and lounging on the rocks. The beef empanada ($2.50) from the restaurant is highly recommended.
This waterfall is fed by a natural spring in the mountains of San Sebastian. The cold water fills a shallow pool and runs under a bridge before dropping off in a much taller waterfall into a deeper pool below. I’m not sure if the lower pool is accessible. You can park right on the bridge and walk down to the base of the falls. What makes this spot unique is the impressive buildup of calcium carbonate under the falls and downriver. Where you would expect to find a stream bed filled with river rocks, instead you find a smooth surface that looks more like a paved road with an inch or two of water running over the tan rock.
Sporting two waterfalls near the main road, this spot near the border of Jayuya and Ciales looks like a screen saver. The water is cool but not cold and the forest is thick and alive around the river. The walk to the further and larger waterfall probably takes around 60 seconds but the rocks do get slippery when wet.
Cascada El Survivor is a short hike to a cool spot in the river in Patillas. You are not likely to run into a crowd here – I never have. There is a shallow rock section near the waterfall where you can lounge in the water. Careful though, it’s slippery. There is a spot to jump off the rocks here to the right and down from the hanging vine pictured. Always do a depth check before you jump as water levels can vary. Behind where this photo was taken is a big pool of water that can accommodate more people. There is limited parking, all free.
Outside the town of Adjuntas, the river drops down a few small waterfalls creating multiple pools to swim in. Getting down to the main pool is a little tricky but worth the effort. There is a spot for cliff jumping at the main pool. There was some questionable-looking standing water in a few spots so I was careful about where I dunked my head so no amoebas could eat my brain. It is somewhat difficult to climb up and down the steep rocks so skip this spot if that’s a concern for you.
Located in San Lorenzo behind someone’s property is a spot where water runs down boulders from several angles, creating multiple small waterfalls – apparently seven. You can walk through most of the water pictured, but it gets deep toward the end. There’s a spot to stand on the right side further down. It costs $5 to park, you pay in the restaurant. If you spend at least $15 in the restaurant you are reimbursed for the parking fee. The popsicles in the building below the restaurant are not very good, skip them.
The drive to this spot is windy but beautiful. I don’t know of another drive on the island where you get to pass through so much undeveloped forest. The hike to get to this charco takes about ten minutes and is easy. The charco itself is not the coolest one you’ll find. It is great for large parties, though. The swimming hole is large and next to it is a large grass area where many people could spread out.
This small charco is really off the beaten path. It’s located in the country town of San Lorenzo. The pool is deep enough that you can jump off the rocks above into the water. The water is cold and refreshing. There’s a small waterfall that you can sit next to. When I visited on a weekend, there was a family that had claimed the whole charco and did their best to fill every inch of it, so we didn’t stay long. It’s a really pretty spot and despite its remote location, I think it’s worth visiting if you can get it to yourself.
Behind an abandoned house in southern Caguas is a lesser-known charco you have a good chance of finding empty. A couple of small waterfalls run into a pool over a rock that you can jump off. (Always do a depth test as the river changes depending on the rain. Someone has taken it upon themselves to spray paint “No basura” on all the prominent rock faces. I haven’t seen any trash here recently so I guess it worked, but at what cost?
There are too many spots called “charco azul” so I refer to this one based on the name of the canyon in which it is located instead of how it shows up in Google Maps. San Cristóbal Canyon is the deepest canyon in the Caribbean with a maximum depth of 800 feet. Sadly it was previously used as a dump by the government until the late 70’s. To get to this spot, leave from this trailhead. You will eventually arrive at a subtle fork in the road, and take a steep turn to the right to hike down into the canyon, if you stay left it will take you to a lookout point. When you get to the bottom you’ll find this charco which is divided in two by some rocks. To the left is a lot of fish, to the right is bigger and deeper. The hike back up is rough.
Puerto Rico also has several freshwater springs that are less well-known. The water is pure and cold (with one hot spring being the exception) compared to the rivers or salt water. If you are looking for some hidden gems off the beaten path, check these out.
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