Somoto Canyon, Nicaragua (click here for the Nicaragua table of rivers)

river photo

Class: III+ ; Flow: 100-1,500 cfs; Average Gradient: 8 m/km; Portages: possibly; Length: 6-7 km; Time: 2 hours

Season: June to October ; rafts? yes; Highlights: deep and narrow Somoto Canyon; Crux move: the drop in there

Put-In: Las Papayas (695 m) or Tapacalí bridge (696 m); Take-Out: Somoto Canyon National Park (645 m)

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

The Somoto Canyon is one of Nicaragua's topographical marvels and attracts a fair number of visitors to the encompassing national park. Local operators offer canyoning trips through the Canyon at low water. At "high" water, kayakers and rafters can execute a rare paddling through-trip and take in some extra whitewater above.

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

Descent History: I first kayaked this with Sawyer Ballew in October 2018 starting on the Río Tapacalí (80 cfs at the PI). I also accompanied the first raft trip, with John Yost of Wantok Expeditions and Max Baldetti of Ríos Guatemala, along with Peter Zurflieh, Dave Shore, and Jerzon Jácamo (Peter Zurflieh can claim the IK first descent on that trip also), in October 2019 starting at Las Papayas, then continuing Ocotal to Panalí.