Cañón de San Cristóbal

The Usabón river has cut a gorge more than two hundred metres deep between Barranquitas and Aibonito, the deepest on the island, with waterfalls dropping into it including one of more than thirty metres. It was used as an illegal dump for years before a conservation trust took it on and cleaned it out. Getting to the bottom means a steep descent with ropes in places, and it is done with licensed guides rather than independently.

Background

The canyon lies on the boundary between Barranquitas and Aibonito, between the Cordillera Central and the Sierra de Cayey. It runs for 9 kilometres and reaches 750 feet, about 228.6 m, in depth, and no land canyon in Puerto Rico or anywhere else in the West Indies is deeper. From 1954 to 1974 the site served as a landfill, and in 1978 it was protected as a natural area. Together with Las Bocas Canyon to the north it belongs to a larger system of gorges in the La Plata River basin, and its walls hold some of the island's tallest waterfalls.

Source: Wikipedia, "San Cristóbal Canyon"

What you'll find

• The gorge - a cut more than 200 metres deep, the deepest on the island.
• The waterfalls - drops into the canyon, the largest over thirty metres.
• The river - the Usabón running through the bottom with pools.
• The rim viewpoints - lookouts from Barranquitas and Aibonito above.

When to go

December to April is the drier season and the safest for the descent. Heavy rain makes the canyon dangerous and trips are cancelled. Tours must be booked in advance.

Practical notes

Independent descent is not permitted and is genuinely dangerous. The route involves ropes, scrambling and river crossings. Tours are cancelled at short notice for rain.

Nearby

Barranquitas is on the rim, and Aibonito is across the gorge.

Key facts