The Saut des Trois Cornes

Hike through the Guadeloupean rainforest from the Sofaïa Sulphurous Spring to the Saut des Trois Cornes waterfall.

Details

970913
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.26 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 155 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 150 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 402 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 240 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the car park at the Sofaïa sulphurous spring.

(S/E) Head towards the forest entrance to reach the National Forestry Office signs.
Enter the forest via the path on the right (leaving the botanical trail, which is not marked on the map, on your left, and the path furthest to the right, which will be the return route).
Follow the marked path for 40 minutes until you reach the crossroads indicating the Saut des Trois Cornes waterfall, 10 minutes away.

(1) Turn left. Cross the Moustique River and take the path on the right (caution: during heavy rainfall, the water level may be high).

(2) Saut des Trois Cornes is in front of you. Cross the Moustique River to bathe under the waterfall.
Retrace your steps to the previous junction, turn left, cross the river again and return to the junction.

(1) Here, you have three options (see Practical Information for an alternative route).
Continue straight ahead on the hike, taking the circular route via the highest point of the hike.

(3) Turn right towards the car park and take a dip in the sulphurous spring at Sofaïa (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 323 m - Sulphur baths car park
  2. 1 : km 1 - alt. 259 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.21 - alt. 252 m - Saut des Trois Cornes
  4. 3 : km 2.37 - alt. 396 m - Highest point
  5. S/E : km 3.26 - alt. 323 m - Sulphur baths car park

Notes

- The trail is slippery in wet weather, so walking boots are highly recommended.
- Hiking poles.
- Bring something to drink, as it is very hot inside the rainforest.

Alternative
(1) From this junction, you have three options:
- Return to the car park via the forest road you took on the way there.
- Return to the car park via the botanical garden route (the path furthest to the right, which is very steep and very sloping for 800 metres and is not marked on the map).
Continue the hike by taking the circular route via the highest point of the hike, as marked on the map.

Worth a visit

(S/E) Sofaïa sulphur baths, where water with dermatological properties flows (30°C)
(2) Saut des Trois Cornes

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.9 / 5
Route interest
3.7 / 5
User 5433738

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It's a difficult path because you have to walk on or between huge roots. As a result, you end up looking at your feet more than the forest. The waterfall is pretty. I'm still undecided.

Machine-translated

Daniel du 4.8
Daniel du 4.8

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

This route is very dangerous if it has rained in the previous days. Furthermore, I do not see the point of walking for three hours among roots. It was impossible to reach the waterfall because the conditions were so difficult.
I strongly advise against it.

Machine-translated

thalie53
thalie53

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Nice hike in the forest. We did a beautiful circular. Path with lots of roots. So watch where you put your feet.
Avoid if there is a lot of rain as it can be very muddy.
You come to a pretty waterfall where you can swim.

Machine-translated

Tilau
Tilau
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,
The route is not very well marked.
A lovely walk overall.

Machine-translated

NLCF33
NLCF33
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike but quite muddy even though it was the dry season. I wouldn't recommend it during the rainy season! I did it alone with three children (aged 11, 8 and 5), and it wasn't too difficult to find our way except at the end, but we still managed to get back to the car park. It took us an hour to get there and a little longer to get back, so overall you should allow about two and a half hours.

Machine-translated

Jefff
Jefff

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,
The route is very good, but you need to do a bit of mental gymnastics to start the route if you're doing it with the hike loaded onto your phone. There's a significant elevation gain at the start and the cursor doesn't position itself on the trail. There are three paths at the start, which complicates things. The route hasn't been modified to match the dotted line on the IGN map.
Located in the forest, enjoyable in good weather. Can be done with the family without difficulty.

Machine-translated

Jess971
Jess971

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The trail has been altered or the route has been shifted.
Make sure you wear good shoes because there is a descent (or ascent, depending on which direction you choose) over roots and a lot of mud. I don't think the route should be classified as easy if you do the 3 km circular.
Still a lovely walk, though. Thank you.

Machine-translated

Imertenob
Imertenob

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The travel time is completely unrealistic; it takes much longer. It is described as easy, but this is far from the case. Even if the route was slippery, in dry weather it is difficult, even very difficult. And anyone who manages to reach the river at the starting point via the botanical trail in 10 minutes, as mentioned on the sign, is very, very strong. It is a beautiful waterfall, but difficult to access. I strongly advise against it with children.

Machine-translated

rando71al
rando71al

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This path is not that easy, watch out for slippery roots and holes filled with water between the roots (it rains even during the dry season). You cross the river in the water, then there is a beautiful view of the waterfall.
The return trip via the forest path (at the end of the route) is less wet.
Overall, it's a beautiful hike, but the time indicated is very optimistic.

Machine-translated

franancy
franancy

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

VERY DANGEROUS ROUTE AS IT IS VERY SLIPPERY EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING AND TRICKY DUE TO THE NUMEROUS ROOTS!!!!!
BEGINNING HIKERS SHOULD AVOID!

Machine-translated

AOUILLERE40
AOUILLERE40

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Longer time due to rain, slippery terrain, and then longer time for beginners; allow an extra half hour to an hour depending on the route.

Machine-translated

clemee971
clemee971

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very good walk, obviously with a slightly "muddy" arrival at the waterfall, but if you're looking for dry, flat ground, you might as well walk along the road... I recommend checking out some of the reservoirs, there are some magnificent fish! After that, the hike on the long route of the tropical forest is excellent, a very well-marked route!

Machine-translated

Aharcourt
Aharcourt

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very difficult start to the hike in January. The only option was to walk more than 80 metres over very slippery tree roots, with lots of mud between 20 and 40 cm deep (measured with walking sticks).
It is preferable to take the path in the opposite direction.

Machine-translated

charlyceline
charlyceline

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike... a bit slippery at times with an 8-year-old child, but honestly manageable, and what a joy when you arrive at this magnificent waterfall...

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.