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    A rainforest stream in Palenque National Park, beside the Motiepá trail, Cascada Motiepá, Chiapas

    Photo by Ovedc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Cascada Motiepá

    Waterfall Chiapas Palenque and Northern Chiapas

    Small waterfall in the rainforest of Palenque National Park, at the end of a jungle trail that passes the Forgotten Temple.

    From Palenque: about 10 min by road (~10 km) How to get there ↓

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    Plan your visit to Cascada Motiepá

    Where to stay near Cascada Motiepá

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cascada Motiepá.

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    Tours to Cascada Motiepá

    Day trips and guided outings from Palenque often include Cascada Motiepá; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Palenque Yaxchilan & Bonampak: Hidden Maya Ruins from Palenque ★ 4.4 (41) · From US$133
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Cascada Motiepá

    • From Palenque: about 10 min by road (~10 km)
    • Nearest airport: Villahermosa (VSA), 1 h 47 min by car to Palenque
    Rent a car at VSA Flights to VSA

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Palenque, near Cascada Motiepá

    Yaxchilan & Bonampak: Hidden Maya Ruins from Palenque ★ 4.4 (41) 14 h From US$133
    Yaxchilan and Bonampak Archaeological Zone ★ 4.4 (33) 14 h From US$129
    Waterfalls Agua Azul and Misol-ha ★ 4.0 (32) 7 h From US$47
    Palenque Mayan Ruins, Misol-Ha and Agua Azul Waterfalls Full Day Tour from Palenque ★ 3.5 (22) 9 h From US$95
    Palenque Site, swim Agua Azul & Misol-Ha waterfalls from Palenque ★ 3.9 (16) 6–14 h From US$102

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Cascada Motiepá

    Motiepá waterfall lies inside Palenque National Park rather than within the archaeological zone itself, reached from around km 4.5 of the Palenque–Ruinas road. The park, decreed in 1981, protects about 1,772 hectares of tall evergreen rainforest and grassland between 200 and 800 metres above sea level, with a warm, humid climate (26 °C on average) and rain all year, heaviest in summer. The drop is small; the walk is the point. The Motiepá trail is well marked, starts under a wooden arch with the trail sign, crosses the jungle and passes the so-called Forgotten Temple. There is also a lookout over the falls. It is a good place for birds: the park has recorded 50 of Mexico's 87 raptor species, along with howler monkeys and scarlet macaws.

    Park rules ban swimming in the waterfalls, smoking, campfires, feeding wildlife and marking trees. Bring insect repellent, cotton clothing, a hat and comfortable shoes that can get muddy.

    How to get to Cascada Motiepá

    From central Palenque it is about 9 km and 15 minutes by road toward the archaeological zone; the trail is in Palenque National Park, near km 4.5 of that road. Without a car, minibuses from town to Las Ruinas leave every 10 to 15 minutes (30 pesos in March 2025) and run up to the park entrance. From there you walk to the archaeological zone and pick up the trail. The park is open daily 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Palenque is also the nearest Pueblo Mágico.

    Directions to Cascada Motiepá on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Cascada Motiepá Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cascada Motiepá. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Cascada Motiepá

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Cascada Motiepá: hours, prices and tips

    Hours
    Palenque National Park, daily 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. CONANP: Parque Nacional Palenque · checked Oct 2026
    Entry
    Park entry: 225 pesos per person per day (50% off for Mexican visitors; free for children under 12 and seniors with ID). CONANP: Parque Nacional Palenque · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Insect repellent, cotton clothing, a hat and comfortable shoes. CONANP: Parque Nacional Palenque · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    No swimming in the waterfalls, no smoking, campfires or feeding wildlife. CONANP: Parque Nacional Palenque · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Cascada Motiepá: what to see and do

    The Motiepá trail, under the wooden arch, through the jungle.
    The Forgotten Temple, beside the path.
    The lookout and Motiepá waterfall.
    Birds, howler monkeys and macaws in the park.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Cascada Motiepá

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cascada Motiepá.

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Palenque often include Cascada Motiepá; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at VSA (Villahermosa): about 1 h 47 min by road to Palenque, then 8 km more to Cascada Motiepá, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Villahermosa (VSA), about 1 h 47 min by road from Palenque, the base for Cascada Motiepá.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming and hiking at Cascada Motiepá, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Palenque: download a map of the way to Cascada Motiepá before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to Cascada Motiepá warm

    Cascada Motiepá shares the climate of Palenque, 8 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.

    Waterfalls like Cascada Motiepá run fullest in the rainiest months here (June, September, and October) and can thin out at the end of the dry season (March, April, and December).

    See the month-by-month climate of Palenque

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Palenque

    Temple of the Inscriptions at the Palenque archaeological site, Chiapas warm
    Chiapas Palenque

    Palenque is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cascada Motiepá, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Cascada Motiepá

    Near Cascada Motiepá

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Cascada Motiepá

    Waterfalls in Chiapas · 8 Waterfalls near Palenque · 5

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.