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A Walk Among the Rocks - Hiking the Waterfalls Tour
By Carlos R. Ponce
The cool morning’s sunshine and cloudless blue sky could not have been a better backdrop for my first-ever guided hiking trip. I met guide Ruben Peraza at 7:30 a.m. at the Baja Outback headquarters in San José del Cabo. After a brief introduction, we headed out to a resort to pick up a young couple whose first trip to Los Cabos would soon be spiced up by a day trip with a local twist: We were visiting an out-of-the-way waterfall, a favorite of locals but not as well known among foreign visitors or residents.
Getting There
Once comfortably situated in the air-conditioned Hummer, we left San José and drove north toward the laid-back towns of Miraflores and Santiago, where we stopped at the small roadside restaurant La Cascada to make arrangements for our meals on the way back.
Returning to the vehicle Ruben allowed me to take the wheel, and I joyfully steered the Hummer down the dirt roads. After passing a unique oasis of palms and vegetation right in the middle of a grayish-looking desert, nurtured by the water streams that originate atop the mountain range nearby, we kept going until we arrived to the main entrance of the La Laguna biosphere reserve, where we would be hiking.
The Hike
As we began our trek, Ruben provided us with brief descriptions of everything we might encounter, from rock formations and endemic vegetation to critters we should be on the lookout for during this season of the year.
The steep, rocky hillside paths could be challenging for those who are not used to it, but Ruben was a patient guide and kind supplier of water bottles and other cooling drinks during the trip. And the exercise is so worth it: Along the way, we passed a broad gamut of endemic flora and vegetation with funny names (torote, viznaga, zalate, and pitahaya, to mention just a few). Luckily, although it would have been quite a ride for an enthusiastic herpetologist, we did not stumble upon any bugs or oftentimes harmless, odd-looking insects or multilegged creatures. After about 45 minutes, a herd of wild oars reminded us trespassers that this is their domain. Our guide wisely advised us to trace back our steps to the best part of this trip: our eagerly awaited stop at the only waterfall and crystal-clear pond, a much-needed cooling spot in this particular region of the Baja Peninsula. (The desert sun can be merciless, as I learned, for those unaccustomed to it. It’d be wise to bring a hat.) I immediately removed my shirt and shoes to leap into the inviting, 10-foot-deep pond right underneath the waterfall. Although generally safe to swim in, really small children would require supervision.
Heading Back
Once out of the water, we dripped our way to La Cascada restaurant to munch on an array of local goodies and fare: breaded shrimp and fish sticks, finely diced carne asada, quesadillas, and guacamole. With our bellies full, we headed back to San José del Cabo with a grin. Predictably, after a whole morning of exposure to the sun, a demanding hike, a cool swim, and a fulfilling meal, there was little left for us to do than inevitably doze off, having realized that the known reasons to come to this magic region of the Baja Peninsula are outnumbered only by our own personal discoveries.
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