The Lost Waterfalls Trail - Boquete, Panama

by Rebecca Hollman
updated April 9, 2019

The Lost Waterfalls Hike - Boquete, Panama

Boquete is one of the most beautiful areas of Panama, known for its lush jungles, waterfalls, coffee farms and hiking trails. Some of the most accessible trails are the Lost Waterfalls trail, the Pipeline trail, and the Quetzales trail. The Lost Waterfalls trail is a moderately difficult trail that leads to three different magnificent waterfalls.

Table of Contents

About the Hike

The Lost Waterfalls trail is one of the most accessible trails in Boquete, and one of the most beautiful. It is close to town and easy to reach by car or bus. The trail itself is moderately difficult with some steep sections. The difficulty mainly comes from the mud, making the whole trail slippery. Coming down some of the steep sections in the mud can be quite sketchy and you will probably slip and fall at least once. If you want to make the hike much easier, just go to the first waterfall. There is little mud on the way to and from just the first waterfall. In total, this trail has three waterfalls - each getting better. The waterfall at the end is the biggest, but all three are uniquely beautiful. Bring a bathing suit because you can get in waterfalls #2 and #3.

Trail Info

The trail is an out and back, about 2 miles each way. In total you could do the hike in 2 hours, not calculating in time spent at the waterfalls. It is rated moderate because of the slipperiness from the mud.

Getting to the Trail

From Boquete, head to Los Naranjos. The road will split after Mi Jardín is Su Jardín, take the road to the right towards Bajo Mono. Follow this road until you reach the trailhead for the Pipeline Trail (it is marked with a sign that says PIPELINE down the left post of the sign). Turn right here and follow the smaller road up until you see cars parked along the side of the road by a gravel driveway to your right. From here, walk down this driveway and to the left over a foot bridge across a river. After crossing the bridge, take the trail to the RIGHT. The trail to the left is Sendero Culebra and will take you all the way to Bocas del Toro, so DO NOT go this way. There is a big sign at this intersection saying Lost Waterfalls to the right so you can’t miss it. Take this trail up a lot of stairs until you reach a house. There is a little hut by the trail behind the house where you will have to pay $7 USD to enter. From there, the trail is straight forward. If you keep to the left all the time you will go to the last waterfall first. Otherwise each split in the trail will lead to a waterfall if you go to the right. You will go down the split to the right to a waterfall and then come back on this split to reach the main trail.