Hidden Valley Falls, the Stoplight and Tubing

Tuesday 10 March 1998

Sunrise

We got up after the morning news on the radio. They said that the Snooty Fox team won the canoe race. We had breakfast - French toast for me and eggs and bacon for Bob.

After breakfast I persuaded Bob to drive to Hidden Valley Falls.

Ticket

Map of the area at the entrance

The road is unpaved (and very rough)

Pine Forest road

and takes you through the Mountain Pine Ridge region - this region has pine trees and is reminiscent of Georgia. There were some beautiful flowers, but we were afraid to stop for pictures.

Foliage Mountain Pine Ridge

It was about 35 miles and took 2 hours to get there. The falls were very nice.

Falls

Hidden Valley falls

Steps down to an observation area

Flowers in the steps

This is believed to be the highest waterfall in Central America and is actually over 1,500 ft to the bottom. A viewing platform overlooks the falls.

The whole falls (or as much as will fit)

There is a short scenic trail around the escarpment for taking in the valley view.

Falls from overlook

Our travel agent had recommended that we get a soft-side cooler to carry materials for lunch, especially going up to Mountain Pine Ridge. So we did that, and it proved to be a very excellent suggestion.

Patio at Hidden Valley Falls where we ate lunch - with a crack

We had PB&J sandwiches , and orange and a Sprite for lunch up there. And I had the rest of the plantain chips. We could have bought stuff to eat there (there is a little store which sells some food and souvenirs), but we ate our own food because we were leaving soon and wanted to eat it up before we went across the border.

Hidden Valley Falls

There is a lodge up here called Blancaneaux which was built by filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. We met some folks that biked over from it. They were told it was an easy ride, but it took them 3 or 4 hours.

Road with car ahead of us

It was much quicker coming down. We saw two big game birds fly across. There was a van from Windy Hill coming down. Their original van had bad wheel bearings. They didn't go much faster than we did.

We decided that "Dangerous Curve" didn't mean a really sharp turn, but a turn with rocks//potholes right around the corner. Also saw "Pin Curve" and "Hidden Slope" sign.

Road near town

Trucks and a roadside sign

San Ignacio is across the Macal River from their sister city of Santa Elena.

Makal River

River from the bridge

Advertisement outside town

To get from one side of the river to the other you must cross the one-lane Hawksworth Bridge - Belize's only suspension bridge which was built in 1949. Walking across is pretty easy, but in order to cross in a car, you have to take your turn. In order to avoid confrontations in the middle of the bridge, traffic is controlled by Belize's first traffic light and one of the few that are anywhere in the country.

One lane bridge

Red Light - Waiting behind another car

Green light

We have a green light to cross

It's difficult to take pictures of the bridge from inside the car, and so this time when we were crossing to San Ignacio, I got out of the car, and walked across

Looking across the roadway

Bridge and Stoplight

walkway alongside bridge

San Ignacio from the bridge

while Bob drove.

Behind a truck on a one lane bridge

Police Station

Rose's Restaurant in San Ignacio

Then we got gas

Gas station tanks

and came back.

Red light from San Ignacio to Santa Elena

There are people camping at Clarissa Falls now.

I tried to call the airlines to check on our reservation, and it cost me a lot of money, but didn't have much result.

One of the possible activities at Clarissa Falls is tubing. If you have time, Chena will take you up to the ferry at Xunantunich, and you can float down to Clarissa Falls. But I didn't have that much time, so I rented a big tire inner tube for $BZ10 and I did a small 'float'.

Approaching the rapids

I took my snorkel camera and floated down the river to a landing for the cable boat where I was picked up. It is a little bumpy going over the fall areas (which are tiny rivulets - not big falls like Niagra or anything)

Falls from on the river

and my butt sometimes would hit the rocks, but it was very gentle. Of course when I went, they were in the middle of a drought - it might have been more exciting if there was more water in the river.

Tree on the bank among fields

River (inner tube and my knee in the corner)

Another line of falls on the right

I saw a kingfisher or two (I tried to get a picture, but it wasn't very good),

Tree branch with a kingfisher

a green heron wading on top of one of the falls, ducks, swallows, a big orange tufted bird, and a horseback rider. (You can also go horseback riding at Clarissa Falls)

Ferry landing

I fell out of the inner tube at the falls above the cable boat, but I retrieved the inner tube and waded to shore. Chena picked me up in her truck when she went and got the children from the school bus stop.

School bus

We had dinner at Clarissa Falls (Fried fish for Bob and Beef in Tomato for me) and then went back and packed because we are leaving tomorrow.

Our bill has the following items on it that were not included in the overall accommodation price ( in Belize dollars):

2 iced tea $4.50
Coke $1.00
Beef in Tomato $15.00
Fried Fish $15.00
2 chocolate shakes $10.00

Documenting the condition of the car

The car rental people were supposed to pick the car up here this afternoon, but they didn't, so I took pictures of the car all around for documentation of how it was when we left.

It was a chilly night again tonight

Expenses in US$
$2.00 Falls admission
7.50 gas
5.00 tubing
23.00 dinner
2.55 for the restaurant
5.95 phone
unk Clarissa Falls accommodation
$46.00 Total in US$