We thought we’d round out Summer’s first time in Puerto Rico by doing something in the interior mountains. The beaches get much of the fame, but the mountains and what they contain are hidden gems. We asked if she would rather check out a cave or a waterfall, and the choice was emphatically: waterfall! So we decided to try a new one to us: Salto Curet in Maricao.

Salto Curet and me (for scale and fun)

It wasn’t easy to find, however. We were able to make it to the end of the road that it was supposed to be on and then down a very rocky dirt road. But then it crossed the river again and we weren’t about to get the truck stuck, so we set off hiking to find the waterfall.

Britton, Summer and I were walking and walking through bamboo groves- up and up!

We walked and walked, hauling our food, water and clothes. And we kept hiking until both Summer and I had to take a pit stop in the woods (not so easy for women as it is for men). So Britton kept walking ahead to see how much further it was. He was able to move much faster without us and all the crap to carry. Summer and I waited and waited and waited. Finally he came back and said that the road ended at a small house but that there was no waterfall. We ate lunch from the cooler in the middle of the trail and thought about what to do.

Finally, we walked all the way back to the truck and then backtracked but we didn’t see anything. We were just about to leave when we saw another truck full of young guys jumping out. I asked them if they would mind us walking with them to the waterfall since we weren’t having any luck finding it. They were happy to walk and talk (in Spanish) with us. They showed us where the hidden sign was that we had missed along the way.

Salto Curet- Oh, that way!

This is a very hidden waterfall. To access it, you actually have to walk in the river! How cool is that?!

Walk straight down the river

And you will eventually find this:

It was so beautiful and tranquil. When we got there it was raining which made it even more slippery to walk but it also amplified the scene with the rain falling along with the water from the fall. There were shallow parts and deep parts to jump into. The helpful boys hung out and cliff jumped for about an hour and then they left. We had the waterfall and pool all to ourselves, it was pretty amazing. We enjoyed jumping, swimming, climbing and taking photos. It reminded me a little of gorgeous Gozalandia, but not quite as well known and much more off the beaten path.

At one point in the day we didn’t think we would ever find it, but we didn’t give up and that lost and long hike made the crisp water of the cascade even more sweet. A fantastic day.