Río Pichucalco, Main, Chiapas, Mexico (area: north central; click here for the Chiapas table of rivers)

river photo

Class: III; Ave. Gradient: 15 m/km; Portages: none; Length: 8 km; Time: 3:00

Season: June to January; Rafts? yes; Highlights: very clean river near Villahermosa; Crux move: Peñas Rapid

Water Quality: decent; Water Temperature: medium

PI: Linda Vista (240 m); TO: bridge Balneario Blanco

Description: (click here for general notes about my descriptions)

This is one of the nicer runs in the Villahermosa area. It features a beautiful canyon, California-type granite, and extra clean water—something hard to find anywhere in Latin America.

A full description is in the Mayan Whitewater: Chiapas & Belize guidebook.

Descent History: Likely first descent by Rocky, January 22, 2012.
Flow Notes: This river is runnable only when it has been raining recently. More consistent higher fl ows are experienced September–November. There is an online river gauge downstream (uncorrelated).

Accommodations: There are basic hotels in Ixtapa, or you could stay in Tuxtla or San Cristobal.

Nearby Tourist Attractions: Villahermosa sights.