Río Morazán, Middle & The Rest, Guatemala (area: Mid Río Motagua; click here for the Guatemala table of rivers)

river photo

Class: IV, II, IV; Ave. Gradient: 10 m/km; Portages: yes; Length: 7.5+4.5+5 km; Time: up to 4.5 hours

Season: June to October; rafts? no; Highlights: some fun drops; Crux move: El Cajón

Water Quality: OK; Water Temperature: not noted

PI: San Clemente (470 m) or El Zapotal (374 m); TO: Los Aristondos (340 m) or highway (303 m)

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

The Río Morazán is in the heart of the Dry Corridor, across the valley from the Río Guastatoya. It is a pretty creek, though remarkable for its inconsistency in both gradient and river features. A rare class II section in the middle is worth pointing out.

A full description is in the Mayan Whitewater Guatemala guidebook.

Descent History: I explored this in July 2011, with 150–250 cfs (Gualán = 3.4).

Flow Notes: The Río Morazán is very hard to catch. Like the Río Guastatoya, there is some hope for you only if the Gualán gauge (Río Motagua) is maintaining above 3.0.

Nearby Tourist Attractions: Sierra de Las Minas biosphere reserve.