Mexico Day 51: Let the waterfall tour begin

Agua Buena, San Luis Potosí to Cascada El Aguacate, San Luis Potosí //

Now that we’ve prioritized being still for a few days, we’re ready to get back on the road and to start seeing the sights.  The region we are in, La Huasteca Potosina, is known for its waterfalls and so today begins our self-mapped tour of the area’s best.  

First on the list is Cascada el Aguacate (I love that this translates to The Avocado Waterfall) and it’s only 29 miles away.  A bonus of this tour is that it’s taking us through a rural part of Mexico we would never otherwise see.  For an hour and a half we meander our way through San Luis Potosi’s sugar cane country.  In every direction, for the entirety of our drive, are sugar cane fields.  They seem to be at varying stages of growth and we wonder if sugar cane is harvested all year long.  Every resident in the area appears to have a machete and a motorbike.  We’ve come to learn that it’s because they all work in the fields.  The road, that was once asphalt, has since disintegrated into a patchwork of potholes and was most likely caused by the trucks hauling out thousands of pounds of sugar cane.  A couple of small villages line the road along the way.  We return looks of bewilderment with a wave and a smile.  I doubt gringos pass through places like this very often.

A leisurely hour and a half drive brings us to the parking lot of Cascada El Aguacate.  A Spanish speaking woman greets us and all we understand from the five minute interaction is that yes we can camp here and yes the camping fee includes the parking fee and entrance fee to hike to the waterfall.  All other information and instructions are completely lost on us.  We settle in and waste no time making our way to the main attraction.

A hodgepodge of metal, wood, and spiral steps delivers us 125’ to the canyon floor and the base of the impressive El Aguacate.  The wooden bridge that takes us to the opposite side of the canyon for a better view is slippery and covered in moss.  We walk slowly and enjoy the refreshing mist that coats us as we make our way to the other side.  Aguacate is an incredible sight to see and just as much so is the clear, tranquil stream that we find just a short way up river.  We take in the majesty of it all before climbing the steep 175 steps that take us back to camp.

There is a beautifully-designed restaurant on-site with impeccably manicured grounds making the decision to not cook for ourselves an easy one.  Adam and I order Mexican food while Heather & Mark choose from the American side of the menu.  Ordering American food in Mexico is always a risk but here at El Aguacate they know how to fry food.  The fries and boneless chicken wings are excellent.

A few short steps take us home to our trucks.  We’re not parked far from the road and I’m easily entertained by the passersby.  People riding two-up and three-up go by on motorbikes.  Solo riders are often accompanied by something else, such a as a weed-whacker or a bundle of sugar cane in their lap.  I can only assume everyone is on their way home from working in the fields.  

At 6pm the restaurant closes for the evening.  The last employee that departs closes the gate and locks us in.  With the exception of a few remaining sugar cane trucks, everyone has gone home.  It’s just us and the crickets and the roar of El Aguacate to lull us to sleep.  


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2 Comments

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  • Beautiful pictures, the grounds, the waterfalls and the murals! The one picture looks like mom just picked up the kids from school! You definitely got a good workout with all those stairs! What a fun day!

    • That’s what I was thinking about the mom and kids too. I could have stood there and watched people go by all day long.

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We’re Mark & Michele, modern-day nomads perfecting the art of slow, full-time travel.  Our tiny home on wheels and slow-paced travel style allows us to minimize our expenses while maximizing our freedom.  May our unconventional way of life inspire you to design a life that you love.

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