Quick Facts
Accessibility: 6/10 (moderate)
Height: 330′ / 100 m
Length of Hike: 0.9 miles / 1.4 km round-trip
The Record
At 55 square miles in size, Flores is not a big island. In that 55 square miles, though, are some amazing waterfalls! The location and geology of the island help in explaining this. Flores is the westernmost Azorean island, and lies on the North American tectonic plate (along with its northerly neighbor Corvo). Flores receives a significant amount of rainfall, and the volcanic rock that makes up the island is less permeable. The water can’t seep through the rocks as easily. The mossy bogs in the center of the island (where it’s actually flatter) do absorb water, which then flows into streams that plunge over the cliffs formed by collapsed portions of the original volcano. It’s a perfect confluence of characteristics that lead to stunning waterfalls like Cascata da Ribeira do Ferreiro.
Cascata da Ribeira do Ferreiro, and many of the other impressive falls, are on the western side of the westermost island! In this area, the cliffs are tall, the water is abundant, and Cascata da Ribeira de Ferreiro has multiple unique cascades. I don’t know if I captured every cascade in the picture, but I don’t think that’s the main goal here.
There is a 1.4-kilometer round-trip hike, which I rated moderate in difficulty. For most, I think the hike will be fine. For a few, the hike may be more uphill than expected. The hike is something out of a fantasy already, and then you arrive at the cascades. The width of the cascades varies with the rainfall to some extent, so they sometimes will seem more powerful. On the day we visited, the whole experience was peaceful and serene, minus a few mosquitoes! Lagoa dos Patos, the lake in front of the falls, can create stunning reflections and mirror images. These volcanic islands can have great waterfalls, and on Flores, you’ll likely have the whole view to yourself!
Directions
- The roads on Flores are few, but they’re also winding, curvy, and steep. The main road, ER1-2, encircles three-quarters of the island. Cascata da Ribeira do Ferreiro isn’t far from ER1-2, but taking the other main road will get you there quicker if you’re departing from Santa Cruz das Flores, where the airport is.
- Heading south on ER1-2 from the airport, turn right onto ER2-2, which crosses through the middle of the island.
- ER2-2 actually meets ER1-2 and officially becomes ER1-2, now heading south-ish, and I believe steeply downhill for some distance.
- The road doesn’t seem to have an official name, but you’ll turn right on a road heading toward Fajãzinha and Fajã Grande. Drive for 4 kilometers or so. I think the parking area for this fall/hike was pretty obvious, and it was on the right. The trailhead was marked, and even then, I think we could see the falls from afar, so we knew the general direction to head.
Waterfall Record 
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