Río San Marcos, Guatemala (area: Río Dulce; click here for the Guatemala table of rivers)

river photo

Class: III; Ave. Gradient: 9 m/km; Portages: maybe due to wood; Length: 25 km; Time: 4.5 hours

Season: September to January; rafts? no; Highlights: pretty gorges and nature; Crux move: catching the water

Water Quality: good; Water Temperature: warm

PI: Las Pacayas (280 m); TO: El Milagro

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

The Río San Marcos is a creek descending from the small Cerro San Gil nature reserve. If you are able to catch the water, you will be treated to pretty jungly canyons and decent birding, and a lengthy sequence of intermediate rapids.

A full description is in the Mayan Whitewater Guatemala guidebook.

Descent History: George Pratsinak and I did this one in November 2011.

Flow Notes: This small river does not come up too often, and there is no online gauge. The nearby Puerto Barrios rain gauge is perhaps your only online hint.

Nearby Tourist Attractions: Río Dulce canyon boat trip and Garifuna culture in Livingston.