Jungle Pools and Biodiversity in Copalita Ecology Park, Huatulco
Huatulco, Mexico, has 9 ocean bays and 36 beaches protected by National Park status. Most are accessible only by boat. We were itching for a hike, though, so we hunted for an off-the-beaten trail or two. Locals directed us to Parque Ecologica Copalita and Playa La Bocana, where the Copalita River tumbles down the mountain and spills into the ocean. We experienced both the “tumbling” and the “spilling”.
Playa La Bocana (Spilling)
The taxi pulled off, rumbling its way back along the dusty cobbled road. Silence, except for a lone chirping bird and the swish-swish of a husk broom worked by a young woman who paid us no mind. In the late afternoon, the cliff high above cast a lengthening shadow across La Bocana. We walked a few meters past shuttered businesses to a promenade overlooking the beach. To the left of the promenade was a short set of stairs down to a footpath through dried debris flow and past a shallow natural pool.
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Under a pink and blue sky, we ambled away from thatch roofed bungalows perched on the hillside. Past a rock outcropping, the cliff turned inland, opening up a wide empty beach. The waves broke fiercely several meters out, rolling towards our feet across a broad shallow shelf. As we approached the mouth of the Copalita river, erosion from the swift outflow formed a 7 foot high sand wall. The tide was just beginning to creep inland, so we walked along the still-exposed sea bed.
The ecology where fresh mountain stream water exits the jungle and splashes into the salty ocean is special: broad grasslands, shallow brackish pools, birds of all types splashing and feeding, the hum of insects, layers of ridge tops far in the distance. I could imagine dinosaurs lazily munching in the twilight. We waded up the river in waist-high warm water. There were just a handful of local families picnicking, fishing, frolicking.
Mouth of the Copalita River, Huatulco, Mexico
As the sun sank lower, the sky turned a deep yellow, casting a golden glow across the landscape. We lingered for a long while, enjoying the tranquil transition to evening. We made our way back to La Bocana just as the ocean closed in on the high sand wall and the horizon burned red.
We returned a few days later for the sunrise, this time walking all the way to the end of the beach. Another precious time of near solitude, crashing waves, and golden hues. Paradise.
Guided Jungle Hike (Tumbling)
Our guided hike along the shaded pools of the Copalita River higher up in the jungle was not quite as solitary, but nevertheless a refreshing and enjoyable day. The tour van picked us up in town, along with six other couples. We drove inland through small rural villages, stopping briefly at a roadside market for a bathroom break and sales pitch from vendors selling locally made honey, mezcal, and other goods. Another short drive and we parked at the trailhead. There was a changing room, so we stripped down to our swimwear and then followed our guide into the jungle.
The path was a gentle slope up-stream, alongside the Copalita River. The shady river park was clearly a popular place to beat the heat! Lots of people - locals and tourists of all ages - lounged in the shade, soaked in the cool fresh waterfalls, and plunged into the deep pools.
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The trail ducked into a cave, exited and then terminated at a cove with a large swimming hole fed by a number of waterfalls. We spent an hour swimming, sunning ourselves, and jumping from the swinging bridge before heading back for a late afternoon lunch. Cool, relaxing day in the fresh Copalita River.
