So Is Dunn's River Falls Dangerous?

My DH & and I are in our mid 50's and in average shape. How challenging is the climb and how dangerous is it?

We did it in our early fifties without a problem. Go to mystic mountain instead though, have lunch there, enjoy the scenery, a much better experience. The falls are not that great.

I was in my 50's when I did the falls.

I wore water shoes.

And yes the rocks in sections are slippery.

There are entrances and exits to the left if you had enough and want to get out and climb the stairs............no problem.

We had a guide and he really helped.

I opted to get our about 5o feet from the top........just tired of stepping in some holes.

You should be able to do it ...............with a guide.

We gave the guide a couple bucks and he was happy.

Sea Ya

It's a little bit of a physical climb, but nothing "dangerous" per say. You are climing a waterfall. You might slip and fall, you might twist an ankle, you might trip over a rock, there are no guarantees, but out of the millions of people who climb it every year, you don't hear of too many severe injuries. Dangerous, I would say no.

Agreed. Wear old sneakers or rubber water shoes. Moss on many rocks. Fun and take a guide. He will help you and take your picture

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Not really dangerous but it is slippery so it's not unusual for people to sprain an ankle and/or get scratched up. Honestly, there are lots better things to do. :rolleyes:

LuLu

Lulu,

You said that there are a lot better things to do, and I see you have been on 80 cruises!

I'm traveling to Jamaica, cruise leaves this weekend, with 6 older children. Any advice on the best thing to do while in port (Falmouth)? I'd love to hear your advice!

I have climbed Dunn's River Falls probably 10 times. I did get hurt climbing the falls back in 2006, but it was my own fault...

We were about 1/2 way up the steepest part of the climb. We got tired of going so slow and holding hands, so a few of us broke off and started up a different way. Well, I lost my footing on a slippery rock and slid about 25 feet down the falls on my belly. I ended up in a small pool of water with a few scrapes and scratches and a dislocated shoulder. I was able to pop my shoulder back into place, but I was sore for the rest of the vacation.

I had been wondering whether or not I should even post this. I decided to post it so others will know to avoid the slippery areas.

Thanks for the reply and feedback. I think I'll skip it, then. Not just because it's slippery, but I hate going to the place everyone else goes to. For example, I hate Nassau, but once, I rented a scooter and drove around the nice oceanfront houses by myself. It was awesome, and I didn't have to get heckled at the straw market.

I've never been to Jamaica, so I'm trying to decide....

I think I've got it narrowed down to horseback riding or buying day passes at Hilton Rose Resort.

We did this when we were in our mid 60's and loved it. We took a cab there, the guides put together a group of maybe 10 of us and off we went. The guides used each person's own camera to take pics. We had a blast. We also have good water hiking sandals which helped.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Lulu,

 

You said that there are a lot better things to do, and I see you have been on 80 cruises!

 

I'm traveling to Jamaica, cruise leaves this weekend, with 6 older children. Any advice on the best thing to do while in port (Falmouth)? I'd love to hear your advice!

I would think 6 older children would LOVE Dunn's River. I've climbed 4 times (3 off of ships and once from a resort stay). In addition, I've spent weeks in Jamaica on resort stays and from Falmouth, Dunn's River is a great option for young (ish) people who want some adventure! Will it be crowded? Most Likely, but it's still a ton of fun, especially if you befriend the guide. They can be a real hoot.

There are a lot of things to do in Jamaica (Zip-line, river raft, river tube, ATVs, Horseback rides, Snorkel, day-sails, swimming holes, dolphin swims......and on and on). What do the kids want to do?

Falmouth is about half way between Montego Bay and Ocho rios (a little closer to Montego Bay) so you pretty much have any kind of tour at your disposal. What kind of stuff do they like to do?

I think they'd want to do everything!

My 16-year-old is a thrill seeker, but somehow, I've got to accommodate the rest of the family. I heard that I can't really send him off alone in Jamaica.... ;)

The thing that appeals to me about the resort is that they can all CHOOSE what they want to do -- beach, pool, eat, etc. Trying to please 8 people is impossible, so my thinking is that they can split up at a resort. If I choose the falls or horseback riding, then we all have to stick together. Also, I don't like the pressure of being harrassed for tips every time I turn around, so the all-inclusive is appealing in that way.

On the other hand, I would like to actually SEE the island and that won't happen at a resort.

UGH! This is why I can't make a decision!

Yes, an all-inclusive is definitely the easiest option. But like you said....you won't really get the feel for Jamaica. It's up to you. I'm sure you'll all have a good time no matter where you go!

True, not much tipping going on at a resort (although they do accept it usually), and it's not so much the tipping as it is the vendors trying to sell you items. (Crafts, food, weed, etc.) If you go expecting it, it's actually kind of fun. People freak out about the pushiness of the vendors, but that's just their sales tactic. Most of them do it. You need to just say no and walk away. I've been going to Jamaica since I was in my very early 20s with other girls in our 20s. We've never felt threatened or concerned in any situation, but we went in knowing what to expect.

The thing is, that if you get away from the cruise port (where the pushy vendors are rampant because they know there are 3000 people with cash getting off the ship) the local people are extremely friendly and helpful.

I have climbed Dunn's River Falls probably 10 times. I did get hurt climbing the falls back in 2006, but it was my own fault...

 

We were about 1/2 way up the steepest part of the climb. We got tired of going so slow and holding hands, so a few of us broke off and started up a different way. Well, I lost my footing on a slippery rock and slid about 25 feet down the falls on my belly. I ended up in a small pool of water with a few scrapes and scratches and a dislocated shoulder. I was able to pop my shoulder back into place, but I was sore for the rest of the vacation.

 

I had been wondering whether or not I should even post this. I decided to post it so others will know to avoid the slippery areas.

Glad to hear you were not injured more seriously.

That is why we are very careful when we did the falls.

But, worth doing with a guide.

Sea Ya