8-7-2016 Waterfall Hike in Bocawina

This Adventure Sunday our friend Emma wanted to hike to a waterfall. (Cara went with Emma, Shelly, Bryan, Cheryl, and her daughter Khaya, but Eric had a headache so he stayed home.) We planned to hike the Tiger Fern Trail in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, but the park was closed due to storm damage, so we headed over to Mayflower Bocawina National Park. We thought we would hike up to Antelope Falls, but apparently everyone else had the same idea because there were three vans of people from a resort in Hopkins that were also doing that trail. So, we looked at our other options and decided to try a longer hike in a different area to Big Drop Falls.

This is the trailhead to Big Drop Falls, and the trail also passes three other waterfalls!

A pretty shell Cara noticed on the trail

Not too far on the trail you come to Lower Bocawina Fall.

Lower Bocawina Fall

We stopped here only briefly because we were focused on Big Drop Falls, but Bryan took a quick dip in the pool.

We continued on the Laguira Geigusi Trail, which means "Tears of the Jaguar" (in Garifuna, it
sounds to Cara).

Lovely cup mushrooms

We passed two other waterfalls, and the higher up we got the more storm damage we encountered
 (from Hurricane Earl).

Shelly commented that Earl created quite an obstacle course for us. (She is in the pink top at the left.)  Eventually, we got to
a point where we lost the trail. There were too many downed trees, so you couldn't see where the trail was supposed to go, and
you couldn't see the next ribbon trail marker. So, we bailed and headed back.

Khaya hiked a fair distance by herself, but she eventually ended up in Cheryl's child backpack.

On the way back down Cara and Bryan briefly checked out Tears of the Jaguar Fall. It was a very
steep trail, and Cara hiked down backwards, holding onto the provided ropes the whole way. It
was quite a workout, and Cara knew instantly she would be feeling it for days.

Looking from the trail down at Bryan at the bottom - can you see him waving?

Tears of the Jaguar Fall

Tears of the Jaguar Fall

Our last stop was Upper Bocawina Fall, and we spent a good while there.

One of several natural swimming pools at Upper Bocawina Fall

The swimming pool at the base of the main fall.

Looking down at the main pool from higher up in the fall

Emma saw Khaya on Cheryl's back and commented that we're not so far removed from the
monkeys as we might think. True, true.

After a quick snack we packed up and headed back down the trail.

Cara and Bryan stopped briefly to admire the beauty of the valley. It didn't show up in any
pictures, but because of this quick stop Cara and Bryan amazingly saw a green snake up in a tree
catch a small bird. It was a life and death struggle, but it probably did not end well for the bird.

Note: Thanks to Emma for letting Cara use some of her photos.