I always like trekking the Cañas Verde way up in the Highlands of Palmira. Palmira is a big coffee growing area in the District of Boquete. We began our hike at less than 3,400 feet and continue hiking up ending at about 5,000 feet on the same trail.The road seems as though it will never end but, eventually at Volcan Baru.

On this day it is windy. The Boquete District at this time of in year is very windy, it will continue until February or March. In Boquete there are two season, rain and windy.

We drive to the Palmira area from Plaza San Francisco, drove to Palmira's Library and begin our trek from there. The area we hike on is a dirt road on which few cars utilize, my favorite kind of area to hike. I do not smelling car fumes. On this day we encounter only one car during our trek. We hike for three and half hours, about 4km per hour. It is upward trek all the way, with just a few flat plateaus to rest catch our breath and continue upward. It is a great hike if you want to have a healthy walking experience, get your heart pumping, be with nature, and breath clean fresh air into your lungs.

This trek had great views of the Golfo de Chiriqui  and the beautiful surrounding cerros and mountains to the West. Another beautiful day in paradise hiking on the highlands of Boquete enjoying nature and being with friends.
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What a difference a few days make in this part of Panama. It is the truth. We hiked in Caldera, AKA "Mango Trail" about four weeks ago on, December 24, 2011. As I looked at my photographs from that week the trail was a bit soggy. Our destination this day was the Termal Abuela and not the popular Termales de Caldera. The Termal Abuela is only 5km from our starting point. We begin by crossing the large bridge after driving passed the new Caldera dam. To our delight, it turned out to be a sun-filled day, the wind flowed through the area and it felt good after walking for an hour. This part of the Caldera is a quiet country road, all dirt and somewhat flat with only one high point. Few cars drive along the road, while locals at a leisurely pace ride on horseback to the town of Caldera, cattle from a nearby finca wonder throughout the road chomping on grass, and goats from a farm eat as much as they can before being penned up.

Rio Caldera meets up with the large Rio Chiriqui, embellishing the river are humungous boulders jutting above the water as it flows every so calmly alongside this back road. The boulders give the impression of being prehistoric it is very awesome to look at. There is a beautiful small beach and sometimes during the hot summer days before ending our hike, we stop to cool off  by taking a a quick swim in the cool river. Well, some of us do and even if we don't it is the perfect place to take off your shoes and soak your feet.

A Petroglyph In The Meadow
There a few petroglyphs along the road in a meadow. It is smaller than the popular one in the town of Caldera called, La Pierda Pintada which huge. What are petroglyphs and where did they come from?  Well for one thing, there are many scattered throughout Panama. Nobody is certain when the stone carving began in Panama. Each carved stone has a message. Many say they date back to pre-Columbian period over a thousand years ago. If you would to read more about them, read my other website where I write about "In Search of Petroglyphs" on a hike I did with the 100 Anniversary of Chiriqui, it is dated August 28, 2009 on my website listed below.

http://jerechica-in-boquete.blogspot.com.html/

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To cross one of the rivers along this trail we had to cross a rickety old foot bridge to continue onward towards Termal Abuela but one can also cross the river during the dry season the river is not high, it came to be just above my hiking boot. A couple of us decided to walk across because of this. The bridge is fragile and so we make it a point to only have not more than two people crossing on it at a time, if not it sways back and forth more than needed.

The trail has many mango trees with some of the most beautiful mango trees that I have seen in Panama. In May they bear fruit and it is wonderful to hike along in this area and being able to eat this delicious fruit.

We finally make it to our destination Termal Abuela, resting, socializing, and snacking for a while before heading back. At the Termal Abuela, the place can be rented for the day. They have an outdoor kitchen, rancho style, and will cook the meal while one enjoys hiking up the ridge and or soak in the termal. The caretaker today mentioned the owner would be adding two more pozos termales (thermal pools) and the road is being cleared for the equipment to come through.   

On the road from Boquete to David, look for the sign that leads to Caldera on the left side of the road. It is approximately 11 km from Boquete. Drive on that road for another 6 - 8 kms until you reach the town of Caldera and start looking for a small sign that indicates the road to the hot springs. Last a 4x4 was needed to drive on this road but, since then it has been planed for an easy drive prior to arriving to the large bridge.  Expect to walk at least over an 1 hour to Rio Caldera. Walk for another 5-10 minutes uphill to your left until you reach a small gate on your left to enter the private farm. If you walk for more than 15 minutes, you have already missed it go back!

Well, it was truly another magnificent day hiking these trails and as I have mentioned before, I some day you can join us for a nature hike. Remember stay fit, eat well, and stay healthy! Explore - Discover - Dream...

Thursday is the day that, Boquete Nature Hikers go out for a long trek. Today we are trekking one of my favorite areas located high up in the highlands. I curious to find out if the terrain on Cerro Horqueta would slightly damp or dry. While riding to meet the group, this I looked up at the sky and the clouds and I immediately knew we would be walking in the mist up there. See that's the thing I just never ever know at this time of the year how the weather will be the next day. Even so, it was still a GREAT HIKE overall! I got my boots, pant legs and back side muddy, but I did not fall or slip. In some parts the trail is cover with leaves and parts of it is slick clay. We carefully begin our hike down a rocky trail into the canyon. For some a hiking stick is very useful at this time especially with the loose rocks, and moss growth making it slippery, its steep downward decline into this beautiful canyon. The trail trek up Cerro Horqueta is not for the weak or for the person with a physical ailment because it is an awesome upward trek all the way and then of course, hiking back down is a challenge and at this time of year very slippery due to the mud.

We pass only two homes, there are not many on the trail but then it is the home to many coffee fincas (plantations) and a lot of produce grows up there as well. It is a big disappointment that many trees have been cut down in the area and very displeasing to know it will continue, unfortunately. Three years ago when I began hiking in this area there was some clearing of land but not as much as now. It is very sad that this area will no longer be part of the rainforest in a few years. The Howler Monkey live on Cerro Horqueta every now and then, especially in the early morning or late afternoon they begin roaring, I wonder where they will be in years to come. This is also a wonderful birding area. Boquete Birders visit this area especially during the summer months.

It was cool and windy on Cerro Horqueta today. Two of the hikers were staying to the back walking slower than the rest of us. I stopped every now and then waiting for them as soon as I saw the red cap my friend was wearing, I continued on. I did mention to the group that if we could not stick together the last person would place an arrowhead at each fork on the trail indicating the path to take.

We stop at a house and visit a senora along the way this is where we always stop to rest and chit chat with her. Each of us takes a snack along for energy and water. We share our snack with her and the dog, although next time we will take dog food for her hungry dog. La senora tells us she does not walk down the mountain during the wet season and when it's very cold she doesn't cook either.  We bid her farewell and continue on.   

It was another great day for hiking. It took about three hours to hike on Cerro Horqueta, I can't wait to go again, but next we will hike up here in the summer, possibly in February when it is drier.

When you visit Boquete, join us on one our hikes and trek some of the best trails in Boquete.
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