This post shares everything you need to know about visiting Catarata Vuelta del Cañon, one of Costa Rica’s most unique waterfalls, accessible only to those willing to work for it on a 12 km / 7 mi return hike.
This article may contain affiliate / compensated links, that may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. For full information, please see our disclaimer here. While all efforts have been taken to ensure the information included in this post is correct and current, travel information such as opening hours, business operations and prices change frequently. If you find anything in this post that is incorrect or outdated please let me know in the comments so I can update it for other readers.
About Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
Catarata Vuelta del Cañon is easily one of our favourite waterfalls we have ever visited. Not just in Costa Rica (a country home to many beautiful waterfalls!), but in the entire world. Seriously!
Besides being obviously stunning and very unique, the hidden location in Bajos del Toro, and the difficulty of access make this waterfall a well-kept secret, without any crowds.
This isn’t a waterfall for the faint-hearted, and only those who are willing to work for it will be rewarded with the spectacular view! A two-tier waterfall drops metres into a canyon covered with lush greenery, with a perfectly blue pool at the bottom for a swim. You’ll have to tackle an 11 km / 6.8 mi round trip hike, involving muddy trails and river crossings, but if you love adventure this is your dream waterfall!
Located in the tiny town of Bajos del Toro (aka Costa Rica’s waterfall wonderland), it can be a little confusing to find the waterfall and the trailhead, so I will briefly explain below.
There is a grassed, open car park on Route 708 (the main road in Bajos del Toro) which is clearly marked. Here there is an informal desk where I assumed you would pay. The trailhead is actually a few hundred metres up the road (also well-signed), and you need to pass through a private cattle farm to start the hike. The local guy who owns the farm is usually around in the yard (with cows everywhere), and he will open the gate for you and point you in the right direction.
Bajos del Toro is the perfect detour between San Jose and La Fortuna. Most visitors to Costa Rica have La Fortuna on their itinerary, but we would highly recommend adding a day or two in Bajos del Toro on the way. You won’t find waterfalls as beautiful as these without the crowds anywhere else in the country! Check out our Bajos del Toro travel guide here.
Catarata Vuelta del Cañon quick facts
- 📍 Location: Google Maps
- ⏰ Opening hours: Unclear, usually 7 days per week from around 7 am – 1/2 pm
- 💰 Entrance fee: 7,500 Colones
- 🥾 Hike length: ~ 11 km / 6.8 mi return
- 🪫 Difficulty: Moderate – difficult
- 👙 Swimming: Yes
- 💡 More information: Catarata Vuelta del Cañon Facebook
Catarata means waterfall in Spanish. In other countries, the word ‘cascada’ is often used, but in Costa Rica, a waterfall is referred to as ‘catarata’
How to get to Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
Catarata Vuelta del Cañon, and all the waterfalls in Bajos del Toro, are best visited with your own rental car. There is very limited public transport around the region, and even if you were able to reach Bajos del Toro via bus, it would be near impossible to move between the waterfalls.
Catarata Vuelta del Cañon sits on Route 708, which is where most of the region’s waterfalls are clustered. Although it’s possible to drive all the way up 708 from the south, we would recommend driving to Bajos del Toro via Route 126, which means you will actually loop around and approach the region from the north.
It’s much quicker to drive via Route 126 and connect with Route 708 in the north, as you will avoid the very heavily pot-holed section of 708 in the south. The trip is easily done in a normal car, no 4×4 is required. The road is winding and climbs through the mountains, but it’s in relatively good condition. Once you’re in Bajos del Toro, Route 708 is paved, but even in the northern section, there are some enormous potholes. It is definitely passable with any car, you just need to drive slowly and carefully.
You can park your car in the car park, which is clearly signed and located here. Once you’re ready to start the hike, you walk a few hundred metres south on Route 708, and you will see another sign indicating the start of the hike. Follow this gravel driveway until you reach the gate for the cattle farm (located around here). If you don’t see anyone straight away, just call out. The local guy is usually around working, or inside the house.
👆🏼 Visualise our suggested route on our interactive Bajos del Toro map
Cost to visit Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
At the time of our visit, we paid 7,500 Colones (around $14 USD) per person to independently hike the trail and visit the waterfall.
There is an informal ‘front desk’ type of space in the parking lot where we assumed we needed to pay, but there was no one there when we wanted to start the hike. We walked to the trailhead at the gate of the cattle farm and paid the owner directly.
If you want to take a guided tour, which is what most locals tend to do, you can expect to pay upwards of 10-15,000 Colones per person. I can’t confirm the exact price, sorry!
Do you need a guide to visit Catarata Vuelta del Cañon?
No, you definitely do not need to go with a guide.
However, if you are a solo traveller you might like to consider it. Not because the hike is difficult, but because it is quite long, very remote and there is little to no phone service. If something went wrong, it would be difficult to get help on your own.
It’s a little confusing how the waterfall is set up and who is running it, but there is a company called ‘Aventuras Catarata Vuelta del Cañon‘ which from what I understand is run by the property owners. They seem to offer guided tours. Sometimes on an independent basis if you contact them and organise. And sometimes at set times on weekends or holidays where you can join at the published departure time. It seems to be a popular activity for locals from San Jose to come up for the day and participate in a group hike.
They have a Facebook page, and you can get in contact with them directly if you’d feel more comfortable doing the hike with a guide.
When to visit Catarata Vuelta del Cañon?
There are no real published opening hours for the waterfall. The whole attraction is very informal and unofficial.
There was no one at the desk in the parking lot area the entire time we were there (we camped there the night prior to our hike). However, we walked across to the trailhead and spoke with the guy at the cattle farm, who said he would be around from 5-6 am the following day.
I think if you arrived anytime after 7 am, and no later than 1 or 2 pm (to leave you plenty of time to go there and back in daylight), you wouldn’t have any trouble finding the owner and accessing the trail.
Be sure to factor in how long it will take you to do the hike and don’t leave it too late. The forest is dense, so even if it is still light, it can feel dark very quickly and very early on the trail. I would suggest starting no later than 10 or 11 am, as you need to allow 4 – 6 hours, depending on your pace.
Amenities at Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
The parking lot a little further up the road from the trailhead is a large, open grassed area where you can leave your car. There is a toilet, some cold showers and a sheltered area with tables and chairs where you can have a picnic or rest. There is also the unofficial desk here, which we guessed was a ticket booth, but we didn’t see anyone there.
Once you start the trail, there is nothing but nature so come prepared!
How long does it take to reach Catarata Vuelta del Cañon?
The hike is advertised as 6 km / 3.7 mi one way. We tracked our route on Brayden’s Garmin watch, and it was a little less than 5.5 km / 3.4 mi for us to reach the waterfall from the parking lot. By the time we had walked around at the waterfall, and gone for a swim, the watch tracked our total return trip as 13 km / 8 mi.
It took us two hours to reach the falls. After spending some time swimming and having a picnic, and walking back quite quickly as the rain was coming, the whole activity took us four and a half hours total. I would recommend allowing 4 – 6 hours, depending on your pace.
Is the trail to Catarata Vuelta del Cañon difficult?
Yes and no. The hike doesn’t have a lot of elevation gain (which I am not a fan of!) so we weren’t huffing and puffing.
But the terrain is challenging, especially if you’re not an experienced hiker. It is muddy and slippery, and there are tree roots, rocks and other obstacles to navigate. And of course, there are 14 river crossings to contend with. I talk more about these below, and while we didn’t find them particularly challenging, it makes the hike slower.
The trail is clearly marked the entire way, and we think it would be very difficult to get lost. You never lose the defined trail, and if you reach a point where there are multiple directions, there is a white plastic arrow or orange tie to indicate which way you should go. The same goes after every river crossing, so you’re confident you’ve re-joined the correct part of the trail.
There isn’t a route online on AllTrails, but this wasn’t a problem for us (and we notoriously get lost on hikes!). If you love hiking and adventure, you don’t have anything to worry about. This is our favourite hike we did in Costa Rica and one of the highlights of our whole trip!
Hiking to Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
As mentioned, the trailhead is a few hundred metres up the road from where you park your car, and access is via a cattle farm. Follow the signs up the gravel driveway, where you will reach a cattle yard with a metal gate. If you don’t immediately see the owner, just call out as he is usually around. He will open the gate for you, lead you through the yard (there were cows everywhere when we went in!) and direct you through another small gate and onto the trail.
Once you’re out of the cattle yard, you’ll follow a narrow path through the farm. We passed by open fields, green rolling hills and some friendly cows before reaching the edge of the rainforest. The dense forest was a shaded reprieve from the sun, and everything was cooler and a bit more damp. The trail here is very clearly defined, but it is natural so there are lots of tree roots, rocks and mud to be aware of.
You will reach your first river crossing before the terrain opens up again and you have an incredible view of the mountains. At around the halfway point, the trail gets dense and foresty again, and that is where the real fun begins!
You will cross the river 14 times throughout the hike. At no point did this feel difficult or unsafe for us, and we were always able to find a relatively easy path either via rocks or through shallow water. The deepest it got was probably halfway up our shins and we didn’t have any issues carrying our backpacks. But I do advise using a waterproof bag just in case!
It had rained a small amount in the days prior to our visit, but it wasn’t officially the rainy season yet. I imagine the crossings could be a little tougher after very heavy and frequent rains.
The last kilometre or so is the toughest terrain, with lots of mud, puddles and slippery sections. The river crossings are welcome to rinse off your feet and cool down. But you start seeing glimpses of the waterfall in the distance, dropping hundreds of metres vertically down the side of the lush mountain. There are actually multiple falls coming down from the mountains, with many different tiers and layers. It looked like Jurassic Park.
Once you reach the river the 15th time (or if you’re not counting, the point at which there is nowhere else to go) you have to wade up the river for the final hundred metres or so to reach the waterfall. At first glance, it feels like you won’t be able to get there as the river and canyon curve a little. But keep going, and you’ll soon see you can rock hop across the river and along the banks to reach the incredible spectacle that is Catarata Vuelta del Cañon!
Seeing the incredible Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
Rounding the corner of the canyon and seeing the dramatic waterfall in front of us was a seriously pinch-me moment. We have never seen such a unique waterfall before. You really are inside a canyon and if you look up, all around you are dwarfed by sheer rocky cliff faces.
The top tier is a tall and impressive single drop, tumbling down the rock face with moss, ferns and other greenery dripping off the canyon walls. The top fall drops into a pool, but it is inaccessible.
Luckily, the cascade continues with a smaller fall dropping into a deep, blue pool before continuing down the river. This is where it is safe to swim, and you can jump into the fresh water from a few different rocks. Be warned, the water is so cold it takes your breath away, but it is incredibly refreshing and insanely beautiful to be looking up at nature so raw, and so powerful. You have to go for a swim, even if it’s not that hot!
We spent about an hour swimming and enjoying the picnic we packed. We had the entire place to ourselves and didn’t see another soul our entire hike. It was very special, and we felt completely in awe of the nature around us.
What to bring to Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
You definitely need to pack appropriately for this hike as it is long, and in parts complicated. Here’s what we brought…
- 🥾 Water shoes – if you have hiking boots or sneakers that you’re happy to get wet, you can wear those. But we opted to wear our dedicated water shoes (Teva sandals for me and trainer-style water shoes for Brayden) because they are much more comfortable to be walking in wet. Your feet will absolutely get wet, and you need something sturdy for slippery mud and rocks.
- 👙 Swimmers – you will want to jump in and swim in the incredible pool!
- 🚿 Towel – to dry off from the falls before hiking back.
- 🎒 Waterproof bag – for any activity involving water (or possible rain) we use a waterproof bag. We have both an entire backpack that is completely waterproof, and also smaller waterproof sacks that we use for the camera and drone, as an added layer of protection and peace of mind. This is even more important here given you are crossing rivers constantly and there is a decent chance you could slip.
- 🧥 Rain jacket – this area of Costa Rica is cool and moist, so you should be ready for rain at any time! It started raining on the way back, the cloud rolled in and it was very cool!
- 🦟 Insect repellent – apply before entering the rainforest so you don’t pollute the air, and consider using a natural spray.
- 💧 Water – bring plenty of water! This is a long hike, and although it didn’t feel too hot or have us puffing too hard, you don’t want to underestimate the water that you need. Be sure to use a reusable bottle and avoid creating any more plastic pollution.
- 🍎 Snacks – we would highly recommend packing some snacks or a picnic lunch. You’ll be gone for at least four hours and we were thankful we had a picnic to refuel at the waterfall. We pack our snacks into reusable containers, so we aren’t bringing any plastic into nature.
Where to stay near Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
It’s actually possible to camp in the car park of Catarata Vuelta del Cañon if you are travelling by camper, van, or tent. We stayed here in our Nomad America Troop Carrier and paid 5,000 Colones for both of us. We had access to the toilet and showers, and we could have sat in the sheltered area if there was rain. It’s just an open, grassed area but it had stunning mountain views, some friendly local dogs and plenty of horses and cows to watch in the surrounding fields.
Otherwise, there are a handful of accommodation options around Bajos del Toro for a range of budgets. We recommend:
Check out our Bajos del Toro travel guide for more information on where to stay in the area
Where to after Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
We highly recommend staying for at least one night in Bajos del Toro, so you can visit a few other waterfalls in the area. We stayed for two nights, and in addition to Catarata Vuelta del Cañon, we visited Catarata del Toro, the Blue Falls of Costa Rica and Paraiso Manantiales. Our next stop was La Fortuna.
Catarata Vuelta del Cañon is the most spectacular waterfall we have ever seen! The entire experience, hiking through lush forest, crossing rivers and tackling muddy slippery trails was one of our favourite adventures in Costa Rica, and was worth every step to admire this spectacular sight!
The Comments
Tara
What time of year did you go? Is the water running in the dry season?
Sally Rodrick
TaraWe were there at the end of the dry season (May) and it was still running for sure! As far as I know, I don’t think it ever dries up. The entire area is quite lush and moist and gets at least some rain year round. Enjoy!
Jade
Hi I’m a little nervous about the snakes. Did you encounter a lot or any while you swam? I know they’ll be there- but also don’t want accidentally step on a poisonous one.
Sally Rodrick
JadeHi Jade, I’m from Australia so I am ALWAYS nervous about snakes haha. We didn’t see any, and I didn’t feel like it was particularly ‘snakey’. It’s quite a cool and misty area, so I think they’re more likely to be hiding. It’s really shaded too, so I think it would be unlikely they’re around sunbaking. Just keep an eye out. It is a long walk, so best to let someone know that you’re going but we had no troubles and no concerns 🙂 Although we did see a tarantula walking across the trail in front of us! Gave me the heebies but it was actually really cool to see. Enjoy!