Cascada de Tamul
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| | Raps:0-1, max ↨400ft
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| Condition Reports: | 4 Apr 2019
"I met some people at sótano de las Golondrinas who gave me a ride to Tamasopo (after some lunch in Aquismón). The original plan was to hike in via E |
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| Best season: | Nov-Mar (avg for this region)
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21.8014, -99.1797
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Introduction[edit]
At 105m (345ft) tall, this is the highest waterfall in the state of San Luis Potosi and one of the most beautiful in Mexico, for its height and its famously crystalline torquoise water. Formed by the waters of the Gallinas River at its confluence with the Tampaon, Tamul Falls cascade into the Tampaon River.
It is also possible to experience the waterfall and river by canoeing upstream (800 pesos per canoe, up to 8 persons, plus 10 pesos per person donation to the park). The canoes can travel within sight of the falls, where there is an 8 m jump on DCL just below the rapids. The guides will permit you to hike to the base of the falls. There is a large spring resurgence cave to view along the way (tourists are no longer permitted to swim inside the cave).
Approach[edit]
Lots of tourists visit the waterfall by taking a boat out of the town of La Morena. The boat ride ($500 pesos in 2015) takes you up the river for one hour, stopping along the way to swim in the crystal clear waters of Cueva del Agua. The boat will stop in sight of the giant waterfall but far from it due to rapids in the river.
A more adventurous option, and the required approach to rappel the falls, is to visit the waterfall from the top. Drive on the paved mountain road that branches off to the left north of La Morena. Follow this road for a while and then turn left onto an unmarked dirt road, which can be tough on passenger cars after rains. The dirt road will cross farmlands ($20 pesos access fee in 2015) to reach a parking lot next to a swimming hole and cabins along the river. From here a 1/2 mile trail running down on the right of the river will take you to a magnificent viewpoint at the top of the falls.
Descent[edit]
Set up anchor in the vicinity of the viewpoint. The flow is too massive to stay in the middle of the watercourse, but rappeling down at the edge of the falls on canyon right is a safe option. You will need a 400ft rope but no need to pull it down, you will pick it up on the way back.
Exit[edit]
A trail on the right at the bottom of the falls takes you to a set of ladders that climb up the travertine walls back to the viewpoint from whence you came. Once there pull up the rope and hike back to the car.
Red tape[edit]
On a Tuesday in Feb 2022, while driving to the top of the falls, we encountered some locals with a rope strung across the access road. They insisted that the local Civil Protection agency now requires a guide to accompany people to the pools at the top of the falls. The fee for this is 1000MXN (~$50) for a group of up to 5 people. Lifejackets were available but optional. They said somebody fell off the falls at some point and this is now required. They had an official looking register to sign names.
This is a very high fee for Mexicans to pay, and doesn't smell right. There is a gate you drive through down the road, much closer to the falls, and get a ticket from an older man who lives there. I spoke to the man (in Spanish) and he said that the guide is optional "if you are familiar with the area", and that the access in that case is only 50 pesos per person (that was the amount printed on the tickets he gave our guide). He also said 1000 pesos was very high, and that it should only be half that for having a guide, or nothing at all if you don't need a guide.
I've been to these falls multiple times over the past 15 years, and there's never been this requirement before, and I did tell the people at the entrance this, but they insisted the guide is required. So more research should be done to see if this is in fact accurate. It is not difficult to keep yourself from falling over the edge of the falls -- you'd have to swim multiple pools to get close to the edge in the first place.
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
Background[edit]
Dining and accommodations are available at the nearby Hotel Taninul.
