Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Protected forest reserve in Cayo District, Belize.
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is a large protected forest spanning over 100,000 acres in central Belize, combining Caribbean pine forests with broadleaf woodlands, open grasslands, and limestone rock formations. The terrain includes an extensive cave system and multiple waterfalls that cascade over granite outcrops.
The reserve received protected status in 1944 to conserve native pine forests from logging and development. A major fire in 1949 devastated large sections, reshaping the forest's composition and recovery over the following decades.
Maya communities left behind pottery and ceremonial objects in the caves scattered throughout the forest, reflecting their long connection to this land. Visitors walking through notice how the forest itself seems woven with layers of human history.
Visitors typically reach the reserve by vehicle and explore it through guided tours offering hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and swimming in natural pools. The dry season provides the easiest access and most stable trail conditions throughout the forest.
Thousand Foot Falls ranks among the tallest waterfalls in Central America at about 1,600 feet, plunging over massive granite boulders in a single dramatic drop. The cascade remains visible from the highest viewpoint in the region.
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