PUERTO VALLARTA, Jalisco, Sept. 17, 2026 — Municipal rescuers helped a man and five companions descend from Palo María’s third waterfall in an operation reported Thursday.
The city’s Civil Protection and Fire Department described the man as intoxicated. Officials said he had difficulty making the descent without assistance.
Water-rescue personnel guided him down. The five companions also received support.
Safety guidance for Palo María visitors
Officials advised people not to enter rivers or participate in water activities after drinking alcohol.
The department also recommended suitable footwear and avoiding slippery or difficult-to-access areas. Visitors should remain with their group, share their location with relatives and follow posted safety instructions.
River levels can rise during Puerto Vallarta’s rainy season, the department said. Wet terrain can also make movement between the waterfalls and the return descent more difficult.
Visitors needing emergency assistance should call 911.
Where the rescue occurred
Palo María lies along Puerto Vallarta’s southern hotel corridor, near Garza Blanca and Federal Highway 200.
A local guide to the Palo María River Trail describes a route following the river into the Sierra Madre foothills. The area contains several waterfalls reached by natural trails and river crossings.
Thursday’s report placed the group at the third waterfall, beyond the lower section of the route.
Previous rescues at Palo María
Our review found at least two other rescue operations at Palo María since December 2025.
On Dec. 14, rescuers assisted five men after an accident at the fourth waterfall. Two members of the group, ages 16 and 20, suffered shoulder and elbow dislocations.
Municipal personnel provided treatment at the scene. They then moved all five men downstream to a safe area, according to the report.
On April 23, emergency teams evacuated a 24-year-old foreign visitor who had slipped and could not descend without help. The man had remained in the area since the previous day.
Civil Protection personnel, municipal police and Red Cross paramedics participated in that operation. The visitor was taken to Puerto Vallarta Regional Hospital, according to coverage of the April rescue.
In the latest incident, the municipal report said rescuers completed the descent safely for the man and the five people accompanying him.
