Beyond the Crowds: Discovering the Other Side of Reach Falls in Portland, Jamaica

Don’t jump in the water if you can’t swim.

Bob Marley

Reach Falls, Portland

I was so happy to return to Reach Falls, and have the chance to share this experience with Betina, but I had no idea at the time how much more amazing of an experience it would be this time around!

Closed to the Public! (Mondays and Tuesdays)

When we pulled into the intersection where the road leads up into the John Crow Mountains, we were met by a few locals that appeared to be just waiting at the bus stop.

However, as I slowly rolled into the turn they all began shouting at our car!

At first, I was hesitant to stop, but then I realized they were just telling me that the Falls were closed.

Noone we had spoken to about it in the days prior had mentioned that it would be closed for the holiday.

We were disappointed but only momentarily.

So, we continued driving into the turn up the hill and a second guy on the road yelled the same thing at us, but I continued anyway. I was in a rental car, and it’s so funny to me how they immediately recognized me as a tourist.

Then suddenly from out of nowhere, a car came speeding up behind us honking its horn, and then moved alongside us as we were driving up the narrow road. He pulled up right next to me so I had to slow down.

I admit I was a little nervous, but all he wanted was to tell us again that the Falls were closed and he wanted to show us another part of the Falls.

He was a little reckless chasing us in a car up the hill and I didn’t feel very good about it, so I just told him no thank you, we will go check it out for ourselves.

What we didn’t know beforehand is that Reach Falls, the attraction sponsored by the Jamaica Tourist Board, was really closed that morning because it was a National Holiday.

I had been to Reach Falls, twice before, and it was beautiful every time, but what I didn’t know is that I had only seen a fraction of its beauty.

There is so much more to this waterfall than what is seen by regular unknowing tourists.

I will explain more about that later.

Meeting Kind Kingsley

Feeling a little deflated after aggressive propositions from at least 3 people on the road we still continued driving further into the beautiful John Crow Mountains, knowing that we may only find nothing but a closed gated entrance.

But soon after our car chase, we saw another man standing by the side of the road with a high table and he was standing there scaling fish if I remember correctly.

In any case, as we approached him in our car he calmly waved downwards toward the ground with his knife in hand, beckoning us to slow down.

It seems contradictory that we would stop the car for a man wielding a knife on the side of the road but neither of us felt threatened.

He slowly approached at a safe distance but close to the passenger window, where Betina sat, bent down, and spoke softly in the calmest and most reassuring voice.

He said, “The falls are closed, but I can take you there”.

He proceeded to explain to us, that from that point, he could guide us all the way up the river until we reached the roped-off area sanctioned by the Tourist Board.

From there we could still get some pictures and hike up to parts unknown to most tourists. He assured us that it would be a much better experience for us.

At this point, we were certain that we wouldn’t make it any other way. He stepped away from the car.

Betina turned toward me, we looked each other in the eyes and almost immediately nodded simultaneously in agreement.

We both had a good feeling about him.

I think his calm assurance and energy were enough to convince us that he was the one.

Although it was never in our plans to hire a guide to the famous waterfall.

I called him over back to the car and told him “Yes”.

He introduced himself as Kingsley and showed us where there was some space to park our car on the side of the main road, without blocking it.

After we grabbed our backpacks we followed him down into a gully near his home. At this point, I was beginning to wonder if this was a “good idea” but still we carried on further down into a heavily shaded and muddy trail.

He also told us that the hike up the river would take us through many waterfalls and it would take approximately an hour and a half to reach the famous Reach Falls.

Once we got to the main area we wouldn’t be able to enter but we would be able to take some pictures.

Once we reached the river’s edge Kingsley gestured for us to take off our shoes and offered to carry both of our backpacks after we got undressed to swim.

Even at this point, I was still concerned and in the back of my mind, I thought…What if?

What if he decided to take off running through the jungle with all of our things?! Well, I couldn’t help but wonder.

At the same time, I had no reason to feel threatened, even though we were at our most vulnerable with only the cameras in our hands and our bathing suits.

I let the fleeting thought pass and began to really take in our surroundings.

It was so beautiful and untouched. It really looked like we had stepped back into time, a Jurassic period, and I was just waiting for some dinosaurs to peak out from the lush foliage.

We hiked through the cold refreshing water the entire way up to the roped-off Tourist Board section of Reach Falls.

After taking a few pics and videos, we hiked back down to where we began. The only part we missed was just above the most popular part of Reach Falls.

Above that section of the Falls, there are a few caverns that you can actually jump into.

When we return, I am kind of hoping it will be closed so we can find a private guide to show us around again!

I would highly recommend checking it out through the Jamaica Tourist Board and visiting the right way, but there are always options if you are a little more adventurous.

Either way, Reach Falls is a beautiful waterfall attraction that I always enjoy visiting when I am in the Portland Parish of Jamaica.

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