Billy Barquedier National Park

Billy Barquedier covers around fifteen hundred acres of broadleaf forest in the Maya Mountain foothills beside the Hummingbird Highway, and its draw is a waterfall about twenty minutes' walk from the road, dropping into a pool deep enough to swim in. The park is managed by a community group from the neighbouring villages. Trails run further into the forest for anyone wanting more than the falls.

Background

The park occupies ground between the watersheds of the Mullins River and Stann Creek, from 16.5-19 miles along the Hummingbird Highway, and its forest grows on Santa Rosa metasedimentary rock. The area took its name in the early 1960s from the Billy Barquedier creek that flows through it. Conservation work began in 1994, when the area became the main source of drinking water for Steadfast, Alta Vista and Valley Community, and the Steadfast Tourism and Conservation Association formed to protect the watershed and its wildlife. The forest was declared a national park in December 2001. The waterfall still supplies running water to the three villages, and the association has managed the park since its founding.

Source: Wikipedia, "Billy Barquedier National Park"

Highlights

• The waterfall - a drop into a swimming pool about twenty minutes from the road.
• The forest trails - longer routes into the broadleaf forest above the falls.
• The Maya Mountain foothills - the range rising directly behind the park.
• The community management - a park run by the surrounding villages.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the most comfortable for the walk. The falls run strongest after rain but the trail is then slippery. Weekends bring local visitors.

What to expect

The trail is steep and slippery in places with roots and rock. Facilities are basic and the park has had funding gaps. Flash flooding after heavy rain makes the pool dangerous.

Nearby

Dangriga is southeast, and the Hummingbird Highway runs northwest to Belmopan.

Key facts