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Drip, drip, drip, went the jungle as the plumeria trees shed droplets of the morning’s heavy rainfall down on our heads. Rainy season had arrived without any attempt of subtlety and our path was unusually dark under the cover of heavy clouds and a canopy of foliage. Our company consisted of four hearty adventurers intent on enjoying a Sunday hike despite the gloomy conditions. We had originally planned to visit the ever-popular Marbo Cave but nearby construction had damaged the trail, so our plans shifted slightly north to the Pagat Cave Trail.
If you can’t decide between hiking, stunning ocean landscapes, spelunking (the exploration of caves), swimming, or cliff diving, the Pagat Cave Trail is right for you. There are few places in the world that offer a comparable variety of unique activities within such a short walking distance. The trail is approximately 1.7 miles long (one-way) with an elevation of 550 feet.
The first mile of the hike was a steep descent into the jungle. The trail was well defined but challenging. The more technical parts of the trail required climbing through unforgiving rock gardens.
On a dry day, the volcanic boulders would have offered confident footholds, but the recent rain combined with the mossy overgrowth turned them into frictionless slides. Preinstalled ropes along the more difficult sections were a welcome addition and saved us from more than one muddy mishap.
It’s easy to rush through the jungle to reach the caves as quickly as possible, but those who do will miss much of the trail’s treasures. Flowers, wildlife, and fungi of all kinds can be seen just off the beaten path and they reveal themselves to those who take their time to appreciate the forest’s finer details.
When we finally reached the bottom of the slope, the mouth of the Pagat Cave lay open in haunting darkness to our left. An ominous rope, leading down to an unknown depth was secured around a rock at the entrance and one by one we each took hold of it and disappeared below the surface of the earth.
A succession of clicking sounded from our flashlights as we artificially lit the cave and got our bearings. A silent pool of blue tinted water stretched out before us reflecting the low ceiling of the cave chamber.
We lowered ourselves into the knee-deep water, disturbing a small crab in the process, and slowly waded our way towards the back wall. There we found a narrow passage which led to another larger cavity.
The second chamber had a vaulted ceiling, a deeper pool of equally clear water, and a slightly sloped rock platform which breached the water’s surface and rose to meet the ceiling at the back of the room.
The space had a striking resemblance to an amphitheater and was the perfect oasis in which to refresh ourselves before finishing the hike.
Climbing back out of the cave, we turned right for the last leg of the trek to the coastline. Before reaching the ocean, we sidetracked down a short fork in the trail to see a historic CHamoru site where authentic latte stones still stood. A quarter of a mile later, we arrived at the final highlight, the Pagat Arch.
The arch suspends 40 feet above the surface of the water and creates a natural bridge across a cutout in the cliff line. The water conditions below the arch vary widely depending on the tide and wind. When the water is calm, jumping from the cliff into the water is possible, but not advisable.
Passing along the right side of the arch, we finally reached the end of the trail and took in the sweeping landscapes of the eastern coast. To say the cliffs are photogenic would be an understatement.
The Pagat Cave Trail is a wonderful experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for a moderately challenging hike with memorable landmarks. Make sure to invite some good friends to maximize the fun.
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