Río Mejocote, Upper, and Río Cocire, Honduras (click here for the Honduras table of rivers)

river photo

(photo by Neil Newton Taylor)

Class: IV ; Flow: 100-1,000 cfs; Average Gradient: 14 m/km; Portages: one V+; Length: 13-23 km; Time: 3-5 hours

Season: late June to early November; rafts? no; Highlights: beautiful rapids and scenery; Crux move: an early start

Put-In: La Puerta (872 m), El Rodeo (927 m), or Cocire (1060 m),; Take-Out: Mejocote bridge (730 m)

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

The Upper Río Mejocote is one of the most satisfying runs in Honduras, and the beginning of the longest stretch of quality class IV in Central America. There are rocky gorges and boulder garden rapids galore, along with some unnerving entrances to slot canyons and one portage of a V rapid, all set in tropical mountain scenery. The only downside is that in most years the water is hard to catch.

A full description is in the Mayan Whitewater El Salvador, Honduras, & Nicaragua guidebook.

Descent History: I ran from El Rodeo in August 2006 with 100 cfs at the PI. I ran the Río Cocire in September 2007 with 150 cfs at the PI.