Río Tinto, Honduras (click here for the Honduras table of rivers)

Class: II+(III) ; Flow: 200-800 cfs; Average Gradient: 1.5 m/km; Portages: no; Length: 23 km; Time: 3.5 hours

Season: June to October; rafts? no; Highlights: class II option; Crux move: making the drive out here

Put-In: San José (363 m); Take-Out: Las Mesetas (326 m)

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

The Río Tinto provides an option for novice boaters in far eastern Honduras. The water has a striking red mineral color, hence the name of the river. With current that moves you along nicely most of the time, and decent scenery and birding, the Río Tinto can be an enjoyable outing for a wide range of paddlers. The last hour involves significant slow water paddling, however. Also note that there is one class III rapid two-thirds of the way down in one of the few rocky sections (most of the river has a shallow sandy bottom). Make sure to watch for wood and branches, which may be in the main current at times.

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

Descent History: I ran this in July 2017, with 300 cfs at the PI.