Finca Niagra #57
By Paul Lyons
What every exploring-traveler hopes for on a trip is to find some place in the country that is awesome but not frequented by other travelers. This is a really hard thing to accomplish as when one travels it is as though tourists are put down a funnel and we all end up going to the same spots. The well-worn paths can be fun and there is a certain amount of security knowing that this is where others who speak my tongue have been.
I always knew that it takes living someplace to see the places not trampled by tourists. Our trusty taxi driver, Leonel, told us of one such a place – waterfalls not far out of town. Maybe some weekend you could take us there? Sure, it is only about thirty minutes away.
So I gave Leonel a call late in the week to see if the following weekend he was free to take us to the waterfalls. Sure. 8am. Sunday. Your place. No problem.
When Leonel buzzed the door we went down to meet him. He was without his taxi, which seems to be often the case nowadays on our adventures, and so he recommended we take the bus; he is the only taxi driver I know who prefers to avoid work by joining you on public transportation. It is a simple arrangement as we just pay his bus fare and provide the snacks. We were joined by Leonel’s cousin, Sergio. The two had been out partying the entire night before and had not slept a wink – they had actual just walked across town from their last place of festivities. It was a good thing we were taking the bus.
Catching the bus in San Marcos, toward the coast, was instantaneous - we showed up at the main station and presto, one was heading out. Leaving San Marcos in this direction you drive along a level spot that takes you to the outskirts of town, then immediately start descending down towards the Pacific coast.
After about twenty kilometers we got off the bus on the side of the road. Sergio seemed to know the whereabouts of this spot more than Leonel. The best way one could retrace this place is to tell the bus assistant that you want to get off at the place where the two big rocks fell into the road during Hurricane Stan. The people on the bus did not seem to know anything about the waterfalls and I soon felt like I was transported back in time to my twenties when I would head off on similar such journeys to a secret unmarked spot on the Wisconsin River.
We found the road, which was marked by a concrete post with the number 57 stenciled in it. It was lovely stone road that was well built. No trash was to be found anywhere, which is unusual for Guatemala and views of Tajamulco Volcano, and the surrounding hills and mountains, was truly spectacular. The mountains here are round and steep, climbing in directions that often remind one of the sort of insane angles in Dr. Seuss illustrations.
Because of all the rain we have had we soon crossed a stream that had a spectacular waterfall. Leonel said that he did not remember this stream and the main waterfall we were going to was farther on.
In about a mile we came upon a larger stream and heard the main waterfall. We spent some time at the base, waded in the cool water and ate our lunch while our companions attempted to sleep off their hangovers and exhaustion from the festivities the night before.
After an hour or so, the clear skies where filled with rain clouds. We headed back to the road as the typical June afternoon showers started dumping on us. Once on the road, the first pickup truck that when by gave us a lift. We got back soaked but happy that we found a new recreational option for the weekends. One could even camp by these waterfalls if you had the gear. Not an easy place to find without a guide but one of the more amazing spots in these parts.
Gallery:
The marker at the beginning of the trail
Tajamulco Volcano
Main Waterfall - Seems bigger when you are there
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