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The Lost Waterfalls is a stunning hike just outside Boquete, Panama. It leads to not one, but three thundering waterfalls in some of the greenest forests we have ever seen.
They’re not quite ‘lost’ anymore, as this is a popular and well-known activity in Boquete, but it’s just as beautiful nevertheless. Every surface was dripping with mosses, lichens and vines, and there were plants, trees and flowers of all shapes and sizes.
In this hiking guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about hiking The Lost Waterfalls Trail in Boquete, including how to get to the trailhead from town, the entrance fees, trail stats, the best order to visit the falls and what to wear and pack.
The Lost Waterfalls Trail quick facts
- ↔️ Trail type: out-and-back
- 🗺️ Trail map: AllTrails
- 📏 Distance: 3.4 km (2.1 mi)
- 📈 Elevation gain: 262 m (860 ft)
- 🥵 Difficulty: moderate
- ⏰ Duration: 2 – 3 hours with stops
- 💰 Entrance fee: $10 per person
About The Lost Waterfalls
The Lost Waterfalls is a popular hiking trail just outside Boquete. It’s also known as Las Tres Cascadas (The Three Waterfalls), for the three beautiful waterfalls you’ll discover on the trail.
The hike isn’t long, but it is stunningly beautiful through one of the prettiest forests we have ever seen, literally dripping with greenery.
It’s a muddy, slippery scramble that is tough and steep in places, but the relatively short distance makes it accessible to anyone with moderate fitness.
How to get to The Lost Waterfalls trailhead
The Lost Waterfalls are located in the Bajo Mono region, a 20-minute drive from Boquete. It’s very close to the Pipeline Trail, another popular trail in the area.
There are a couple of ways to get to the trailhead from Boquete:
- 🚐 By colectivo: colectivos run from the parada de buses pequeños in the centre of town to Bajo Mono. They might drop you off at a small pink bus shelter on the main road, from where you’ll need to walk a short way up the side road to the trailhead. If you’re lucky, the driver will drive all the way up to the driveway, and you can get out right at the trailhead. The colectivo is $2.50 per person, one-way. There’s no fixed timetable, but there are usually vans hanging around, you may just have to wait until the driver thinks the van is sufficiently full before taking off!
- 🚕 By taxi: if there isn’t a colectivo leaving anytime soon, there are plentiful taxis in Boquete, all offering to drive you to the trailheads around town. I’ve read prices from $8 – $12 for a taxi to The Lost Waterfalls.
- 🚗 By car: if you’ve got a rental car, it’s an easy 20-minute drive from Boquete. You can park on the side of the road opposite the driveway with a sign indicating the trail. The driveway was steep and bumpy, I don’t suggest driving down it.
Cost and opening hours
The Lost Waterfalls Trail is located on private property, and the landowners charge a $10 fee. You can only pay with cash.
The trail is very clean and well-maintained, with ropes, handrails and little bridges over particularly soggy sections. Well worth the entrance fee in our opinion!
According to Google Maps, the trail is open from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, but I have read that you need to start hiking by 3:00 pm, which makes sense.
This is a popular trail, and while ‘crowded’ is probably a stretch, the earlier you go, the quieter it will be.
There is a very eerie feeling when hiking in Boquete due to the Dutch girls who went missing on the Pianista Trail in 2014. It’s still unclear exactly what happened to them, and I’m not trying to scare you off. If anything, hiking around Boquete is probably safer than it has ever been in response to this tragic story. It’s a sad and mysterious case that was interesting to learn about after being in Boquete. We can highly recommend the podcast Lost in Panama.
Do you need a guide to hike The Lost Waterfalls Trail?
No, a guide is not mandatory for The Lost Waterfalls Trail. The trail is clearly marked and easy to follow and we enjoyed hiking solo.
The reason you may like to get a guide is if you’re hoping to spot wildlife.
Although, I think the Pipeline Trail is a better hike for spotting wildlife. The trail is flatter and not as uneven and slippery, so you can focus on looking into the trees and not at your feet!
There is a tour available though if you prefer it, which includes transport from Boquete and the entrance fee.
🥾 Book a guided hike of The Lost Waterfalls in Boquete
What to expect hiking The Lost Waterfalls Trail
Getting to the ticket booth
Our colectivo driver dropped us right at the driveway, which was clearly marked with a big sign.
We headed down the hill, weaved through some local shacks, and crossed the suspension bridge over the river. Then we started going uphill…
This first stretch of the trail before we had even gotten to the official entrance was the hardest! It’s a steep incline up a hill, with some natural steps carved out to make it less slippery. I was huffing and puffing and complaining.
The trail soon opened out into a lovely garden with towering pine trees and a gorgeous view over the surrounding mountains. There are a handful of cosy wood cabins here, and I was imagining how lovely it would be to stay here!
We saw the ticket booth, paid our entrance fee in cash, and signed into the registry.
There wasn’t a toilet when we visited, but I’ve read they have since installed a toilet near the ticket booth.
Waterfall #3
We decided to hike to the furthest waterfall, #3, and work our way back to #2 and #1.
Moments after passing the ticket booth, we were in a dense, green forest. That was what I loved so much about Boquete, the greens were so green. Moss and vines dripped off every surface, it was moist and lush.
From the get-go, the trail is slippery and uneven, with tree roots and rocks to navigate. It’s not too tough in the beginning, you just have to watch your step and avoid any particularly muddy patches.
We quickly passed the turn-off to waterfall #1, but we pushed on. Waterfall #2 is visible from the trail, and we had a quick peek but kept going on towards the end of the trail.
After passing the second waterfall, the trail got tougher. From here, you need to use a set of ropes to hoist yourself up some steep and slippery sections. We had no issues and enjoyed the challenge, but if you’re less mobile and fit, it can be tricky.
The trail undulates and eventually meets the river, before ending at waterfall #3.
The third waterfall was so impressive. It wasn’t particularly tall, but it was a curtain of water falling right in front of us. We clambered around the slippery rocks and we could see a trail to walk behind the waterfall, but we didn’t want to get entirely soaked (the water was so cold!).
You could have a dip here if you wanted to. There is a pool below the waterfall, but it’s rocky and shallow, so it would be more like a shower than a swim! There were some deeper pools you could sit in just downstream.
Waterfall #2
After taking plenty of photos at the third waterfall, we backtracked and made our way down the ropes to waterfall #2.
There is a slight detour off the trail down to this waterfall, and you can hop along the rocks to stand right in front of it. It’s possible to swim here, but again, it’s more like a shower than a swim as such, in the shallow, rocky pool.
We found a comfy rock to spread out on for a while, enjoying the sunshine and reading our books.
I was wearing my swimmers and we both had the best intentions to swim, but it was pretty fresh and the water was freezing so we didn’t go in. (We loved swimming at Los Cangilones de Gualaca though!).
Waterfall #1
It was an easy walk back to the junction of the trail leading down to waterfall #1. There is a steep set of stairs going down to a lookout point, with a wooden railing. You can’t access the river or the waterfall here.
Waterfall #1 was definitely the tallest and most impressive fall! It dropped from quite a height, and there were rainbows in the spray as it hit the rocky river.
Getting back to the main road
From waterfall #1, we weren’t too far from the entrance. Heading back down the steep hill was much easier, and we crossed the bridge again and made our way to the road.
We started walking down towards the main highway, but not long after a colectivo drove up the road, dropped off a vanload of people, turned around and picked us up to take us back to Boquete. Easy peasy!
What to wear and bring to The Lost Waterfalls
Boquete has a cool climate that can change quickly, so my best advice is to wear layers.
The Lost Waterfalls Trail is shaded and moist so it can feel a little fresh, but once you start hiking and hauling yourself up ropes, I guarantee you’ll be sweating.
The trail is muddy and slippery, so wear the sturdiest shoes you have. Hiking shoes aren’t necessary, but would be helpful. We were fine in runners.
In terms of what to pack:
- 👙 Swimwear
- 🧖🏽♀️ Towel
- 💦 Water
- 🥪 Snacks or picnic lunch
- 💰 Cash
- 💦 Rain protection
- 🎒 Dry bag
- 📷 Camera or charged phone
Combining with the Pipeline Trail
The Lost Waterfalls are quite near to another popular trail in Boquete, the Pipeline Trail.
Some people combine both hikes into one day, adding about 1.6 km (1 mi) of extra walking to get between the two trails.
I think you could easily fit both hikes into one day, as each takes about 2 – 3 hours.
We split them over consecutive days as we had plenty of time in Boquete, and were happy to do one hike in the morning and go back to town for a nice lunch and relaxing afternoon.
If we were to do both, I’d probably do The Lost Waterfalls first, as it is a bit busier and a tougher hike than the Pipeline. Plus, you’d be walking downhill to get to the trailhead for the Pipeline Trail!
Planning a trip to Boquete
If you’re planning a trip to Boquete, don’t forget to check out our Boquete travel guide. It covers all the important info you need to know, like getting there, getting around, where to stay and other handy tips to get your bearings.
Final thoughts: Pipeline Trail Boquete
The Lost Waterfalls were so amazing! We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and it was one of the best hikes we did in Panama.
Relatively short, relatively easy but so beautiful, the risk-to-reward ratio is off the charts with this hike. I still cannot get over how green and lush the forest was, every surface was covered in moss or vines it was like a fairytale.
We loved hiking in El Valle de Anton, but the rainforest around Boquete was unbeatable.
This is a must-do in Boquete, and I think if I had to choose just one hike to do, it would be this one. The Pipeline Trail is very close and worth doing too if you’ve got the time.
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