These picturesque cascades are only a 28-kilometer drive from the south shore of Lake Chapala. I first visited them years ago, but I never included them in my books for these two reasons:
1. The road is hopelessly muddy during the rainy season.
2. It would have taken 20 pages to describe how to reach the falls from the Mazamitla highway.
Fortunately, Google Maps has come along, and finding some—but not all—of Western Mexico’s outdoor gems is now far easier than it used to be. Mud, however, is just as sticky today as it was in 1882 when La Manzanilla de la Paz was founded. So, read on only if you have a big, high-clearance vehicle … or clip this article and wait to visit Ocho Cascadas in the dry season (when the roads are fine for any sort of vehicle).
Are you ready to go? Just head for Lake Chapala, swing around to the south side and get on the road to Mazamitla. Turn off when you see the arched entrance to La Manzanilla and drive into town.
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.