Salto do Rosal, São Miguel Island, The Azores

The Azores is a group of islands that have become more popular over the past few years. They have a very similar feel to Hawaii, but way less busy and far less expensive. We traveled to two islands in the Azores in March. The first island we visited, Flores, is one of the most isolated but has the most easily visible waterfalls. We then flew back to the biggest island, São Miguel. There may be just as many waterfalls on São Miguel, but it’s approximately 10 times bigger in area, so it requires more driving to see falls.

If you do your research, you could spend a significant amount of time searching for waterfalls on the island. We had two days on the island, so I chose one or two that were the most easily accessible. The second waterfall we visited was Salto do Rosal. It was probably my favorite stop on the island. It’s found near Furnas, where you can see some geological activity. I’ve been to Yellowstone in Wyoming, Geysir in Iceland, and Hell’s Gate in New Zealand, and those had far more exciting features. It was cool to visit the fumaroles, but there isn’t a whole lot else to do there.

Salto do Rosal is not far from the fumaroles and Furnas. In the José do Canto Garden, there are several different things to view, including this waterfall. There is an entrance fee to visit the garden and hike to the falls. The hike is about 2 miles roundtrip. The parking area is not at the entrance of the garden, so that adds some distance, which I’ve included in the hike distance. Along the way, you can see an old church that is beautifully decorated. There’s also a sequoia tree that came from the US and now is on an island in the middle of the Atlantic! Once you reach the falls, they are truly beautiful! Salto do Rosal is approximately 100′ tall, but the falls are 1-2′ wide. The falls take on what would probably be classified as a horsehair/ponytail waterfall. We were the ONLY ones present at the falls, so March might be a spectacular time to visit. I think it did rain a bit earlier in the day, but we were able to explore without getting wet.

Directions:

1. We landed in Ponta Delgada, the main city of the island. Head east on EN1-1A. EN1-1A follows the coastline for a while.
2. As you’re approaching Furnas, where the geological features are, EN1-1A does turn north for a bit. Before you reach Furnas village/town or even pass Furnas Lake, you’ll find a parking area on your right at the edge of Furnas Lake. (This assumes you’re heading northeast on EN1-1A.)
3. Park at the parking lot. When we visited, there wasn’t a parking fee, but there might be in busier seasons. Walk across the street toward the park and the road that leads to Mata Jardim José do Canto (the garden). You can’t drive on that road.
4. Pay the entrance fee for the garden, which wasn’t much. You’ll head to your left if you want to visit the falls. It’s a really beautiful hike through some stunning forests.

Accessibility: 8/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 100′
Length of Hike: 2.0-miles round-trip

Where in the World is Salto do Rosal?