Cascada de Tamul, Waterfall in Huasteca Potosina, Mexico

Cascada de Tamul is a waterfall in Huasteca Potosina where the Gallinas River drops roughly 105 meters (345 feet) down a limestone cliff into the Tampaon River. The falling water spreads across the rock face during rainy season and lands in a wide turquoise pool surrounded by canyon walls.

The communities of the Huasteca region have lived in the valleys along the river for centuries and used its waters for farming and daily needs. The area remained difficult to reach until the late 20th century and only started drawing visitors through word of mouth.

In the 1960s locals called the fall "La Sonadora" for the thunder of its water in the rainy season. The Santa María and Gallinas rivers also mark an ethnic boundary here, between the Teeneks (Huastecos) and the Pames, who call themselves Xi'oi, pronounced Shihuí.

The boat trip to the waterfall starts at La Morena and lasts more than an hour, so plan for a round trip of several hours. Boats are wooden pangas rowed by a hired boatman who supplies safety equipment. The same trip includes a swim in the Cueva del Agua, a flooded cave more than 45 m deep. The upper part of the fall can be reached by road via El Sauz and El Naranjito.

The water often falls not as one solid curtain but in separate strands that shift in shape depending on season and rainfall. The pool below turns a deeper blue during dry months while rainy season brings lighter shades of green.