Antelope Falls is located within the Mayflower Bocawina National Park in the country of Belize, bordering the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary which is commonly referred to as the "Jaguar Reserve". The entrance to the Park is located just a few miles South of Dangriga off the Southern Highway and before the little village of Silk Grass. The park is comprised of over 7000 acres of subtropical broad-leaf rainforest and set over a semi-mountainous terrain. Antelope Falls is one of several waterfalls within the park system which is part of the Silkgrass Creek Watershed.
On this particular day, my wife and I hiked the trail to the top of the falls through sweltering heat and humidity. The climb was somewhat difficult, although the trail was well marked and aided by ropes to assist us in getting over the largest granite outcrops. About 3/4 of the way to the top there is a marvelous overlook where we can see the Caribbean Ocean to the East and the Maya Mountains to the South. Nestled just below in a clearing is Mama Noots Backabush Jungle Lodge where we would spend the night.
At the top of the falls, and just after the most difficult part of the climb, there is a freshwater pool that is most beautiful and defies accurate description. The water is cool and refreshing as we take a skinny dip as a reward after the difficult climb. We soon discover that even here, hundreds of feet up the side of a mountain, there little minnows nibbling at the hairs on our arms and legs - some even a little more aggressive trying to remove a mole off my back.
After a refreshing swim, it is time to descend the trail back to the trail head where we pass by some unexcavated Mayan ruins. Within the park system, there are three Mayan ruin sites; Mayflower Plaza which is partially excavated but not restored, along with Maintzunun and Tau Witz which are both unexcavated. The ruins are a reminder of the great Mayan civilization which once inhabited these lands and revered the mountains and waterfalls descending from them as "sacred waters".
After our exhausting hike we head to Mama Noots for a refreshing beer and plan tomorrow's trip to Bocawina Falls within this same park.