Charco Azul

We had a very difficult time finding the actual Charco and when we did the only way to access it was by swimming into muddy water. We opted not to swim and just observed the Charco from a high point on the "trail". There is very little signage in the area directing you to the Charco or any "trails". I use quotation marks because there really are no trails, just the access road used by the water authority. At first, we drove completely past the Charco, despite using the supposedly exact GPS coordinates. We stopped and asked a guy doing yard work around his house for directions and that got us on the right road. We then parked, as suggested by other reviewers, at a private lot at the top of the hill where a local homeowner had small lot parking available for $3. We then walked down the hill to the river. There's a tiny overgrown sign directing you to the Río. We went down the steep hill and saw the water authority's little blue station. Then we wondered how to get to the Charco. There are no signs, nothing. We followed what appeared to be trail along a cliff but had to turn back at an impasse. The "trail" was very overgrown and full of fallen trees and brush. We then ran into some local youth and they directed us to follow the river. We walked then waded down the river for awhile. Note, if you're going to try to check this out, you will want some good water shoes with lots of traction. We reached a small area where the youth appeared to have camped earlier. Here's where you could potentially swim further in and observe the caves. I climbed back up on the "trail" and could see some of the vista I'd seen on YouTube and Instagram. Looks nice but if you don't want to swim in questionable looking water, not the best. The complete lack of trails and appropriate signage seriously detracted from our experience. Unless you're a hard core adventurer willing to both hike and swim with the appropriate gear, I would not recommend visiting this Charco. Also, as there are no actual trails I would not recommend this for kids or anyone with mobility issues. Go the El Yunque instead where the trails are paved and well maintained.

It was a hell of a walk up and down that road/hill, if you've been there you know lol. You had to eventually swim at a certain points and after you get over the freezing cold water, it's quite fun if you like a little adventure. The waters were high and crystal clear unlike other reviews. Overall we weren't prepared for the hike/swim but it was an amazing experience.

Not to be confused with the more popular Charco Azul in Patillas, this pond is harder to locate, more private, and certainly more relaxing. I discovered it by joining a group of younger, more energetic adventurers. After parking at the top of the trail, finding the pond is just a long walk downhill, mostly on easy terrain. As a senior (albeit experienced) hiker, the return walk uphill seemed twice as long. Be prudent if you are not in good shape. The many nooks and crannies around the water will keep you entertained for quite a while, or you can relax on the many shallow spots. A very nice way to spend a day!

We had so much fun swimming and exploring here. The caves are amazing! I wouldn't recommend this spot for children. Tip: PAY for parking. Do not drive your car down to the river.

This river was honestly in the middle of nowhere very hard to fine the hills of the parties are supposed to be then you need to walk down the mountain which little dangerous if you have kids not recommended for kids we ended up leaving because we just didn't feel safe in the area

As others have mentioned, DO NOT drive your car down the hill. We got stuck and 120 dollars later, the 'adventure' turned into a crappy experience.

DO NOT take your car down that hill please. The road is made of concrete and It is extremely slippery. There are no signs advising you of these. We got stuck and was not fun at all, our car will not go up the hill and we had to contact a tow truck to get us our of there, which by the way, the tow truck wasn't able to go fully down the hill. That situation took 2 hrs to solve so we weren't able to make it to the actual Charco Azul.... i wont try this again.