The walk to La Cangreja Waterfall is one of the longest in the area, but the reward is worth the effort. The trail isn’t just about the waterfall either, as we saw more monkeys on this walk than any other trail we did in Costa Rica - and we did a lot of walks! We saw big troops of both Spider and Capuchin monkeys and there were so many I think you’d have to be really unlucky not to see them.
The waterfall is also gorgeous, with crystal clear water and high cliff walls. It’s quieter than many in the area, which might come down to the length of the walk. All in all, it’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon in Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting La Cangreja Waterfall.
The walk to La Cangreja Waterfall
The stats
Distance: 10.5km return
Elevation gain: 420m
Difficulty: Moderate
The walk to La Cangreja Waterfall is not particularly difficult, but the heat does make it more challenging than it would otherwise be. There are two sections which are fully exposed to the sun, which felt pretty brutal on a 35C (95F) day. For this reason we’d recommend hiking in the early morning, or on a cloudy day.
The trail is in pretty good condition; there are some rocky sections, and the odd bit of loose soil, but generally speaking it was in decent shape. We did hike in the dry season though, in the rainy season it may become quite muddy.
Starting the trail
The trail begins by heading gently uphill alongside a field, but happily it’s only 350m before you reach the forest, and some welcome shade from the dense canopy.
The track flattens before it begins to undulate, and then heads more steeply downhill after 750m. The forest is beautiful, with some huge strangler figs and lots of birdlife.
At the 800m mark you’ll cross the Rio Blanco on a wooden bridge and then begin heading uphill. It’s a slightly rougher track, with rocks and tree roots, and a few rudimentary steps cut into the dirt. However, it’s only a couple of hundred metres before it’s time to begin descending again.
Through the rainforest
The beginning of the descent is not too steep, but there is a 150m section which is steep and rough, with rocks, loose soil and leaf litter. However, you can avoid most of the loose soil by walking on the rocks, so it could be worse.
This is where we saw what we thought was a cute troop of Capuchin monkeys.
Turns out they were very territorial and we were clearly trespassing on their turf - we had the bared teeth snarls to warn us off. It was a cool sighting, but we definitely moved on quickly when we saw the teeth!
After you’ve finished descending and 1.8km into the walk, you’ll come to a sign for Hidden Creek. It’s just a 50m detour each way and takes you down to see a small blue stream that turned into an underground river.
It reminded us of the water colour at the hot springs on the other side of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
Back on the main trail and you’ll continue through the forest. It was around the 2km mark where we saw our first Spider monkeys of the track (we saw three separate groups in total).
They were also territorial and shook branches at us, making for another eventful sighting!
The real surprise though was how active they were. We were hiking this section a little after midday, and they were swinging through the trees and making lots of noise in a way I didn’t think we’d see during the hottest part of the day!
Through the savannah
After you’ve been walking for just over 2.3km you’ll come to a bridge over a beautiful blue stream. This is a nice place to paddle your feet and cool off before heading towards the more exposed parts of the track.
Roughly 250m later you’ll come to a junction with the Escondidas Waterfall (2.3km away). If you were up for a much bigger hike you could detour to this one before heading on to La Cangreja, but personally 10km was enough for us!
The sign says that La Cangreja Waterfall is 3km away, but it’s slightly closer than that by our measurements.
As you walk the next section of track, the scenery completely changes. It’s now much drier and started to remind us a lot of the Australian bush. This part of the walk is quite flat and the trail conditions are very good.
You still have some tree cover for the first 650m, but you will then reach the exposed part of the trail.
The views are great, but the rock radiates heat, so we walked as quickly as we could. The track heads downhill for 750m before you hit a patch of forest again.
The track continues descending in the forest and it’s steeper and rougher for around 100m, before becoming more gradual.
Reaching Catarata La Cangreja
The trail leaves the forest again and you will continue descending on a sandy, rocky track. There is about 700m of trail where you’ll be fully exposed to the sun. Everyone we saw coming up this section was grimacing!
You would never guess from the scenery that a big waterfall was only a few hundred metres away. It looks so dry and arid!
The final 300m of the walk are back in the forest on a dirt trail. The very last bit of the track involves crossing over a few large rocks and then you will be standing at the base of the waterfall.
La Cangreja Waterfall
La Cangreja Waterfall is spectacular. Even in the height of the dry season the flow was good, and the setting is stunning, with high rock walls covered in trees and hanging vines.
On our visit the pool was a lovely shade of green, however, all photos I have seen show the water as turquoise - so I am not sure if that’s due to photoshop, or if it was just a different colour when we saw it. Either way, it was beautiful, so though I was surprised it was green and not blue, I wasn’t disappointed.
There are plenty of rocks surrounding the pool where you can sit and relax, and it makes for a nice lunch spot. The only thing which does mar it a little are the prolific biting insects. I am not 100% sure what they were, but they were pretty savage. Don’t make our mistake, bring bug spray!
Swimming at La Cangreja Waterfall
Technically speaking, swimming is no longer allowed at La Cangreja Waterfall. In reality though most visitors still swim here. Locals told us swimming was banned as the national park didn’t want any liability and that we could swim if we wanted to.
We met eight people in total at the waterfall over the course of a couple of hours, and all swam. I am not saying whether this is right or wrong, but wanted to share the reality of the situation.
Heading back
When you’re ready to head back, you retrace your steps all the way. The walk has much more uphill on the way back, but only the first couple of kilometres felt like a slog. The gradient slackens after that and there are also flat sections.
La Cangreja Waterfall opening times and entry fees
At time of writing, the trail to La Cangreja Waterfall is closed on Mondays (as is the rest of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park). The park is open from 8am to 4pm, but there is some leniency on the exit time. However, you will not be allowed to start the La Cangreja Waterfall trail after midday. At midday a rope and trail closed sign is put across the trailhead.
The trailhead for the waterfall is next to the Las Pailas Circular Trail, which visits bubbling mud pools. You could combine both in one day if you have the energy, the bubbling mud walk is a 3km circuit.
The entry fees are:
Adult foreigners - USD $16.95. For foreign children it’s USD $5.95. Adult nationals and residents pay 1130 colones (just over USD $2) and children pay 565 colones (just over USD $1).
Only credit cards are accepted, no cash.
Getting to the La Cangreja Waterfall trail
The La Cangreja Waterfall walk is located in the Las Pailas Sector of Rincon de la Vieja National Park. If coming from Liberia, the road is almost entirely paved, but does have a few gravel sections and some large potholes. A 4WD is not required.
You will have to pass through a small section of private road to reach the national park. You will be stopped and asked to pay an 800 colones (approx USD $1.45) road usage fee, this is per person, not per car. The exception to this is if you are staying at the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, who own the road.
The park is 26km and roughly a 40 minute drive from Liberia, it’s 64km and roughly a 1 hour 45 minute drive from San Jose. If you are staying at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin and don’t have a car, they run a free shuttle service.
Where to stay near Rincón de la Vieja National Park
Hotel Rincón de la Vieja Lodge
If you don’t mind somewhere basic, then this is a good budget option and just a few kilometres from the park entrance. We tried to book this place but it sold out, so you might need to book a little way in advance if travelling on a weekend. Rooms look rustic but have private bathrooms. It’s really about proximity to the park with this one.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
We stayed at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin because we wanted to access their waterfalls, hot springs and swimming spots. It’s less than 5km to the park entrance and there is a free shuttle if you don’t have a car. The rooms were no frills, but spacious, with reliable hot water and internet. They were also super quiet, which was a rarity in Costa Rica. The beds are on the firm side, but if you plan on visiting the resorts waterfalls as well as the park, then it’s a good option.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
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