I always decide on an average approximately one and a half days before choosing a trail to hike, especially during the rainy season. The reason being, Boquete has many micro-climates; one area may be raining all day while several miles away it may have not rained and dry as a bone. Consequently, Tuesday evening, I decided on the “Canopy Trail” located in beautiful Palo Alto.
This is Rio Palo Alto. It was a serene resting place at the end of the trail. Unfortunately, it no longer exists because in 2010 during a heavy rainy season this lovely area was opened up. Below is a photo I took and this is how it looks today.
It had been raining off and on for three or four days this week, one begins to lose track after awhile. Since, I organize the Thursday and Saturday hikes and attempting my hardest to be the optimistic organizer telling myself it would probably not likely rain Thursday, that it would surely have stop after three days. Well by Wednesday, my mindset changed and I began to think, it could very well rain on Thursday. I set forth sending an email to my Thursday hiking friends titled, “Rain or Shine we will hike tomorrow!” I knew there were people in the group who do not enjoy walking in the rain but for me since moving to Panama, I love when it rains. A tropical rain in my eyes is just beautiful and walking in it, mind you, I don’t do it all the time, but the few times I have, it’s great.
As it turned out, we had a great showing for today’s rainy day hike. Overall, about fifteen of us carpooled to the Springs, which is a gated community, parked our cars, and proceeded on our rainy day adventure.
The Canopy Trail is good to hike during the rainy season; it is not slippery or muddy. The road is gravel, a great workout; really gets the heart pumping, as the road is a steady incline having at least fifteen plateaus. I sometimes count the plateaus while I'm walking as I did today.
The road is seldom utilized, so trekking is great and on a beautiful sunny day the vistas are gorgeous as well the tall trees and the surrounding environment. As one continues to trek up this road the scent of freshness and looking at the emerald hills and mountains surrounding the area is what makes this walk so meaningful. Some choose to ignore the entire surrounding splendor while trekking up this road, it is such a shame that they choose to do so. I feel they are undoubtedly missing out on a great deal.
We walk past two rivers, Rio Palo Alto, Rio Palomo, as we walk steadily up towards Cerro Palo Alto ending our trek at the Canopy Tree Restaurant. One of the many fun things Canopy Tree offers is, zip lining. The Canopy is also a hotel with beautiful rooms and separate cabanas. Furthermore, the restaurant is one of my favorite places to stop and rest some, to warm up, and dry off, while some enjoy sipping hot chocolate or some other beverage as we today. What's, today the fireplace in the restaurant had a good fire going to warm us.
Two years ago, the Rio Palo Alto ripped open into large canyon during a horrendous rain during the rainy season. Boulders came crashing down like a domino affect. We use to cross a footbridge in order to trek up into one of my favorite rainforest in Boquete - well huge tree trunks knocked down the footbridge. The huge boulders tumbled through this river opening up what use to be a narrow river passage tossing tree trunks around like bowling pins. Since then we have not been able to cross the river to hike one of the many magnificent rainforests here. After the catastrophe Canopy Tree built a footbridge but they charge visitors taking them to a Geisha coffee finca (farm).
One day when the river is low enough, we will make the crossing as the indigenous Gnobe people do daily. The Gnobe have a lot more experience crossing the river more then we do.
If you visit Boquete try the Canopy Trail, it is a calm scarcely used road, with beautiful vistas. Remember to call me or email me while visiting Boquete so we can hike together on Monday, Thursday, or Saturday. Hope to see soon on one of Boquete’s beautiful trails.
Explore – Discover - Dream
As it turned out, we had a great showing for today’s rainy day hike. Overall, about fifteen of us carpooled to the Springs, which is a gated community, parked our cars, and proceeded on our rainy day adventure.
The Canopy Trail is good to hike during the rainy season; it is not slippery or muddy. The road is gravel, a great workout; really gets the heart pumping, as the road is a steady incline having at least fifteen plateaus. I sometimes count the plateaus while I'm walking as I did today.
The road is seldom utilized, so trekking is great and on a beautiful sunny day the vistas are gorgeous as well the tall trees and the surrounding environment. As one continues to trek up this road the scent of freshness and looking at the emerald hills and mountains surrounding the area is what makes this walk so meaningful. Some choose to ignore the entire surrounding splendor while trekking up this road, it is such a shame that they choose to do so. I feel they are undoubtedly missing out on a great deal.
We walk past two rivers, Rio Palo Alto, Rio Palomo, as we walk steadily up towards Cerro Palo Alto ending our trek at the Canopy Tree Restaurant. One of the many fun things Canopy Tree offers is, zip lining. The Canopy is also a hotel with beautiful rooms and separate cabanas. Furthermore, the restaurant is one of my favorite places to stop and rest some, to warm up, and dry off, while some enjoy sipping hot chocolate or some other beverage as we today. What's, today the fireplace in the restaurant had a good fire going to warm us.
Two years ago, the Rio Palo Alto ripped open into large canyon during a horrendous rain during the rainy season. Boulders came crashing down like a domino affect. We use to cross a footbridge in order to trek up into one of my favorite rainforest in Boquete - well huge tree trunks knocked down the footbridge. The huge boulders tumbled through this river opening up what use to be a narrow river passage tossing tree trunks around like bowling pins. Since then we have not been able to cross the river to hike one of the many magnificent rainforests here. After the catastrophe Canopy Tree built a footbridge but they charge visitors taking them to a Geisha coffee finca (farm).
One day when the river is low enough, we will make the crossing as the indigenous Gnobe people do daily. The Gnobe have a lot more experience crossing the river more then we do.
If you visit Boquete try the Canopy Trail, it is a calm scarcely used road, with beautiful vistas. Remember to call me or email me while visiting Boquete so we can hike together on Monday, Thursday, or Saturday. Hope to see soon on one of Boquete’s beautiful trails.
Explore – Discover - Dream
All photographs on this blog were taken by, Jere McCormick (aka, JereChica). The photo to the far right is that of the Rio Palo Alto after a very heavy and long rain. The first photo on my blog shows how it looked before boulders came crashing through.
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