Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve (MPR) is a very unique setting within the country of Belize. Filled with hills and valleys, it’s one of the higher elevated geographical areas in the country. A medley of Caribbean Pine and Pinus Oocarpa dominate the higher elevation of the mountains and sneakily hidden within the valleys are alluvial forests rich with hardwood trees, so rich and thick and green, one would easily believe that they were in the richest broadleaf forests in the world. The geology of the reserve is interesting, to say the least. Rich silicates, limestone, red clay, iron-rich soils and rich loamy black soils and sand mix into the buffet of soil types which are all seated on the back of a foundation of granite. This is the place where geologist have researched and attest to the fact that the country now known as Belize was once below the surface of the sea – at least three times – in its geological history (Calcium carbonate is evidence). Granite also reflects volatile volcanic action and interestingly enough, Belize hosts no volcanoes. MPR represents a highway for wildlife moving from one broad leaf forest to another. This highway can get very busy with the traffic of animals such as grey foxes, mountain lions and jaguars and birds such as ocellated turkeys, woodpeckers and raptors such as the grey shoulder kite and hawks. The highlights of one’s visit to the MPR is the Rio Frio Cave which is a limestone tunnel, the remains of an underground river carved through limestone and exposing the base of granite after millions of years of its flow. A second highlight is the Rio On pools. This is a river flowing over granite stone dams which create low waterfalls and deeper swimming holes – a great refreshing dip and swim await you. A third major highlight is the Thousand Feet Falls, which at one thousand six hundred feet high, makes for a beautiful sight to see.