They told us this was a place we could not skip, but driving into town wasn´t our greatest experience. After a big climb we also needed to go down. The steep and winding road was heavy on our breaks.
A small, not so special entrance of the small village was our first stop, with smoking brakes…..
El Trampolin
We drove straight through the little village when the brakes cooled down because we were told to look for a free camp spot called El Trampolin.
We drove alongside a river, took a small bridge crossing it and made our way back along the other side of the river.
The road was pretty good so we had no problem getting to El Trampolin with the RV. A large field of grass was our campsite for the night. No other campers there today. A nice camp spot, but what is all the fuss about Tamasopo and El Trampolin?
Well we were in for a big surprise! And El Trampolin wasn´t even the biggest surprise…..
Next to the grass field, various ponds and small waterfalls is what El Trampolin really was. Not just a free campground.
The water was crystal clear and inviting to go in. So that is what we did. Not warm, not cold but very refreshing.
The scenery was beautiful and having a bbq at night with the sound of many waterfalls in the background was very special.
The next day before leaving to town, we used one of the waterfalls as nature´s shower.
Restaurant
Not knowing what we would experience more in Tamasopo, we went into the town to find a wifi spot so we could look up where to go and do some work online.
We parked in front of Restaurant Pilatos and placed myself on the small terrace with my laptop. They had surprisingly good free wifi and some really tasteful Mexican home cooking.
We decided to keep our rv parked right in front of the restaurant as our new boondock spot so we could enjoy the wifi some more. The owners of the restaurant assured us it was a quiet and safe place, which it was.
Town Center
Driving through the little town our first impression wasn´t so positive. But we were wrong! Walking through the little streets we didn’t see when we were driving, Tamasopo turned out to be a very nice town. With a town square, a central fresh market and lots of little streets with small shops. The people in the shops and on the streets are very friendly. Good prices and good food is everywhere.
Puente De Dios
The next day we were told to visit “El Puente De Dios” or gods bridge. We have been to a place named Puente De Dios before in Galeana and we loved it there, but we nothing could have prepared us for this.
We hitched a ride to the entrance of the park in the back of a pickup truck so we didn’t have to walk up the hill all the way. The Mexicans are used to pick up people and give them a ride in the back of their truck and very willing to stop and let you in.
Before the entrance, as usual, the people from the restaurants, parking lots and souvenir shops try to attract your attention. You will find that in most places, but here it was not as well arranged as in the Media Luna, resulting in a more annoying way of marketing their businesses. But by simply not reacting or a polite No Gracias, you soon reach the entrance of the park and a strange feeling of serenity comes over you.
It’s a short walk to the staircase that brings you down to the lagoon. The staircase is long and winding, going down through a sub tropical environment. Its long but a pleasure going down because it’s beautiful. You really feel like walking through a tropical rain forest.
Once down, you run into a man that rents live vests. My first thought was, that telling that a life vest is obligated, was one of the sale pitches I’ve heard before in La Media Luna, where wearing a life vest wasn´t obligated at all.
But we understood that we could not go to the lagoon without a vest. And we soon found out why.
Renting a vest for a day is 30 pesos ($1.50), so no real harm done here.
From the point where the life vest are rented, even though really close to the lagoon, you can still not see the greatness of it. A few more steps down and a majestic new world opens up!
It’s almost impossible to describe how beautiful the place is that shows up before you at the end of the steps. I hope the picture gives you an impression.
But we didn´t come all the way down to only look at it. We came to swim in it!
The first thing you notice is that there are ropes crossing the lagoon. People in the water holding on to it and pulling themselves from one side of the lagoon to the other side. The ropes are there because the current in the lagoon is strong. Large amounts of fresh water tumble down the waterfalls, making its way down river. Creating a steady current.
There is no beach or real easy access to the lagoon, but to be honest, that makes this place so spectacular!
There are many rock formations giving you the opportunity to jump in the water from heights as low as 2 feet to as high as 30 feet!
The water is transparent as it comes from underground wells a half mile upstream. More about that later.
We have been jumping from all heights into the clear water.
Another highlight was the waterfall. Underneath the waterfall is a small cave that has an exit above the waterfall. Once you are above the waterfall, you can jump down into where the waterfall hits the lagoon. When you hit the water, the strong current directly drags you away from the waterfall to half way the lagoon.
Getting to the cave underneath the waterfall is a whole different story. First you have to drag yourself up stream to the other side of the lagoon on a rope. Next you have to continue upstream holding on to the rocky side of the lagoon.
Right before the cave you have to pass through the waterfall. The amount of water coming down is incredible and the current is very strong. The first few times, this might result in loosing grip on the rocks and been dragged away by the current halfway into the lagoon.
But once you find your way to reach the cave, climb up and jump into the waterfall, the trill will stimulate you to do it again and again.
On the downstream part of the lagoon, there is a small opening in the rocks. This is the entrance to the cave that is called El Puente De Dios. ” God´s Bridge” The water flows through the cave with openings on either side.
The current gently pulls you into the cave.
In the cave the current comes to a rest because of how wide the cave is and you discover a beautiful place with rock above you and crystal clear water underneath you. The light that enters on both sides of the cave illuminates the cave and the water in a really special way. Unfortunately we were not able to take pictures in the cave, so you will have to find out yourself!
When you let the soft current drag you to the exit of the cave, behind the rock formation a multitude of pools and small waterfalls appear to you.
With the ropes you can pull yourself back effortless upstream, back through the cave into the main lagoon.
If this all sounds too exciting to you….then don´t worry!
Yes it is exciting, but definitely not scary. The excitement, the beauty combined with the fact that your well being is secured with ropes to hold on to, a live vest and life guards everywhere, this is a place you cannot skip when you are in La Huasteca Potesina.
Hiking
I was invited by one of the life guards to hike with him to the source of the lagoon. We hiked about half a mile through the stream above the waterfall to the source of the lagoon. Making our way through little pools and waterfalls up hill. The further away from the lagoon we got, the clearer the water was getting.
Believe me the water was clear in the lagoon, but just before the place where the water just bursts out of the ground, the water was so clear that it was impossible to see how deep the pools were by looking at the stones on the bottom. What looked like 2 feet deep, actually was 10 feet deep!
With no pollution at all makes the water drinkable without treating it.
This water is collected and taken to the town of Tamasopo to come out of the tap without treatment.
The down side of that is that a large tube is collecting the water at the source. Using the power of the water and gravity, with no mechanical help at all, all the way from the source to the town. Which breaks the ideal picture of the water coming out the well and the stream towards the lagoon.
After climbing the stairs back up to the entrance of the park, we had some fine food and rested a bit in the shade. A spectacular day!
Birthday
In Tamasopo we celebrated another special day.
Jochem´s 18th birthday.
In Europe, the 18th birthday is a special day for many as 18 is the age where they can start their driving classes for their drivers license. We promised that Jochem would get his drivers license for his 18th birthday……
But as we are not in Europe any soon, he will have to wait. So we had a town pastry make a big birthday cake in the form of a drivers license to celebrate his birthday.
After the cake, we continued our journey, saying goodbye to new friends. On our way to a place called Xilitla.
Our Experience
Tamasopo might not look as the most pittoresk place when you drive in, but the friendly people and the incredible nature makes it a MUST SEE place when you visit Mexico.