Thousand Foot Falls
Waterfall and natural monument in Belize
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Thousand Foot Falls, also known as Hidden Valley Falls,[1] is a waterfall and the centerpiece of a Belizean natural monument in Cayo District, Belize.[2][3] Thousand Foot Falls is a misnomer; it is actually 1,600 feet (490 m) tall or taller and is believed to be the tallest waterfall in Central America.[2][4][5]
Situated in the Maya Mountains, the falls drop over a sharp granite escarpment into a pool and become the headwater of Roaring Creek, which flows into a nearby cave to the north.[5]
Thousand Foot Falls National Monument was established in 2004 to protect the ecological system.[2] It is part of one of the largest tropical rainforests in Central America, and is home to a number of endangered species, including the scarlet macaw, jaguar, Baird's tapir and orange-breasted falcon.[2] With an area of 1,290 acres (520 ha), it is one of the country's smallest protected areas.[4] Belize Karst Habitat Conservation, a registered non-governmental organization, manages it in conjunction with the government.[2]
Ecotourism bolsters the local economy. There is an outlook about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) from the falls; a viewer can see about the top third of the falls from that vantage point.[5] A closer look from the pool at the bottom of the falls requires several challenging hours of hiking through thickly forested, mountainous terrain.[6] Climbing to the top is strongly discouraged as it is dangerous.[5] Birdwatching is a popular activity.[4] According to eBird, 252 species have been spotted there.[7]