Hiking on Guam

If you ask for directions in Guam, be prepared to travel by local landmarks. There are limited road signs. The locals say it's because the typhoons rip them from the ground and they become trajectories. Since the last major typhoon season was over a decade ago in 2002, that excuse is losing ground, but the fact remains, Guam is poorly marked.

During our eleven days on Guam, we drove around the island extensively. Guam has jungles, low valleys, mountainous terrain, agricultural regions, small villages, and beaches. On Sunday, we wanted to hike the jungles of inner Guam so we took off for "Tarzan Falls" which is the the middle of the Southern area of the island. Visitors who hike on Guam are known by the locals as "Boonie Stompers" and it is recommended that hikers use local guides to traverse the terrain. When we finally found the entrance to the trail (a small wooden sign caught our eye), we started down the path, expecting to find the markers needed to make our way to the falls.

Note the swampy path and the tiny sign announcing the trail head.

We picked our way along the trail and noticed the only clue we had to whether we were on the right path was the survey marker tape tied to coconut trees. There was white and red tape. We learned later that one marked the easy trail and the other marked the more difficult trail. There were no more signs showing the way.

Looking out over Guam. We could see the ocean in the distance. 

This was almost to the top of the trail before we had to hike down to the falls. We packed snorkeling gear because this trail was noted on the map as a great freshwater site for snorkeling. It was about 11:00 AM when we started. Timing became everything because shortly after we finished the hike, there was a torrential downpour.

We are still happy and cool. The trip back up the hill I look like an overheated tomato. 

We don't really know where we are going so we aim for the logical direction and I began  leaving arrows fashioned from sticks pointing back to the car. We have recited the Hansel and Gretel story to each other and Bob suggested bread crumbs may work because there are few birds on Guam due to the brown snake infestation.

We listen for the sound of running water. I kick myself for not investing the $12.95 for the cheap compass at the Kmart.

Finally, we hear the sound of water flowing and head through the jungle. We come across a slow stream and a rock path across the water. The first metal sign, an arrow, points toward a slight path down to the pond at the bottom of the waterfall.

The River!

The first signs designating that the falls are near. 

We are finally at the bottom of the falls and the mosquitoes have found us! Malaria? Yellow Fever? The thought of parasites start running through our minds. 

We see the bottom of the pond. "Are there leeches in Guam?" I ask. I kept thinking of the Naegleria fowleri(commonly referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba" or "brain-eating ameba").  Sure we had snorkeling gear but we couldn't see the bottom of the pond due to the murkiness, so we agreed to splash some bottled water on our heads and start back up the steep trail to the top of the falls. 

The trail was lined with vines and I used those to brace myself coming down and to pull myself back up the slippery slope on the way back. Bob was sure I was going to grab a brown snake instead, but I assure you, that would have never happened. I looked verrrry carefully. 

We trudged back through the muggy air, up the steep red, unmarked cliffs, dodging puddles and mud pits to find ourselves back at the car. Exhausted, overheated, yet oddly proud of making the trek through the jungles of Guam. 

Once back at the vehicle, we noticed the shoes hanging from the phone lines. Dozens of shoes thrown over the wires. We speculated since they were ruined from the red mud so why not present a tribute to the trail.