Julio took me to a secret waterfall park for an afternoon hike the other day… well, it’s not really secret (see the photo above of the huge sign), but it is off the tourism radar and is only frequented by locals. The park, Los Chorros Recreation Park, has a few trails, two waterfalls, a river, some rope bridges, grills to cook out on, and tables for picnics. This makes a really great, easy hike if you find yourself stuck near the airport for a day or live in the area (like me!).
Los Chorros 60m (180ft) Waterfall
Our hike started off on the side of a gentle mountain in a field of lime green grass and quickly lead us into Jurassic-like jungle. The trails of Los Chorros were easy to follow and some of them even had rustic handrails on the slickest parts. The first waterfall I saw was the tallest in this park – 60 meters high (180 feet) and it blasted me with heavy mists while it crashed down into the river with a deafening roar. The second waterfall was not as intense and was accessible by crossing a rope bridge and wading through the river. The view from the middle of this rope bridge was incredible – like a scene from Fern Gully with mist saturating the air, vibrant greens sparkling all around, and crystal clear waters springing from the rocks.
The second waterfall is around the bend.
Rope Bridge at Los Chorros
Mocha having fun, Pelulu hiding from the water under Mocha.
Los Chorros is a 20 minute drive from our house, which means it is about 25 minutes from the San Juan Int’l Airport, or 45 minutes from downtown San Jose. It only costs a few hundred colones to get in and the entrance is guarded by a charismatic old man named Eli who lives in a modest house on the edge of the mountain. Eli doesn’t speak any English, so bring your Spanish skills if you go. It would also be nice if you brought him an Imperial or two…and a tip for watching your car while you frolic in the jungle. 
Most importantly, come prepared to get wet and muddy!
When Harris and I went to Hawaii we did some hiking to a waterfall. I remember the locals jumping from the top of the waterfall into the lagoon below! Do people ever do that at these waterfalls?
Oh yeah, you can hike to the tops and jump off.
Julio has a nice video of himself scaling a waterfall and then leaping off…I’ll see if I can find it for show n’ tell =)
I went to Los Chorros about two Decembers ago with a group of friends. I liked the fact that it’s pretty clean and that there were guards walking around at all times. It was a very sunny day , so we really enjoyed the cool water. My friends and I got there early, brought some lunch and spent most of the day there. Good memories, I’d really like to go back next December.
It was a little chilly when we went, I can’t wait to go back when it is warmer outside! And for a cookout, hopefully get some good ol’ juicy American burgers going on the grill!