Fish Dunn Falls

Looking for a relaxing day out in the countryside, with fresh, clean mountain air to enjoy with friends and family? A scenic drive into the hills of the beautiful parish of Portland, to this beautiful hidden gem, may just be what you are looking for. Fish Dunn Falls is located in the quaint community of Silver Hill in Portland. This powerful and majestic falls apparently got its name because that’s the area where fish can’t swim past. Simple right?! 

Getting there

Fish Dunn Falls can be accessed via two main routes. Route 1 is via Papine. This route takes you through Irishtown, Newcastle and beyond Holywell. The second route (the one we took) is via the Junction. Passing through Manor Park and Stony Hill, to get to Buff Bay and eventually to Silver Hill in Portland. Don’t worry if this all sounds foreign, a quick Google search will offer all the needed help, as the directions are pretty much accurate. Regardless of the route you take, one thing’s for sure, the views along the way are simply majestic. 

 What to expect

There’s a small padlocked gate at the entrance to the falls. Standing at the gate gives you the first look of the powerful waterfall in the distance.  The gate will be unlocked by a member of the community who gives with access to the falls, for a small entrance fee of course. The fee was roughly between 300 to 500 JMD (at the time of our visit). The fee also grants you access to a small changing area.  

The Falls 

The roaring of the rushing water cascading got louder and louder as we walked down the path leading to the falls. The falls were quite powerful, especially after the heavy rainfall, which was the case when we visited. Joe, our community host of the day informed us that it had been raining heavily the day before, and as a result the river really came down. He also informed us that the natural pool at the base of the waterfall was very deep, especially because of the rain and that the current would be heavy and powerful; a warning to swimmers and non-swimmers alike. Warnings aside, just standing there at the edge of the pathway looking at the stunning waterfall, it was hard to not think about how amazing nature truly is! 

It could be because of the spray of water from the falls, but one look at the water and one could know that this water was cold, the feel it in your bones kind of cold. There is a path on one side of the falls, where the river flows, and you can actually sit and splash around, if you decide to go into the cold waters. There were also a few large rocks around this side that were perfect for non-swimmers to sit on and relax while putting their feet in the water.  After the journey to this beautiful falls it would be a shame to not at least dip your toes in the icy cold water.

Joe and some of his friends added to the Fish Dunn Falls experience by setting up a portable speakers and playing some welcomed music in the background.  

Our recommendation

Fish Dunn Falls offers a relaxing day out in the countryside. We definitely recommend checking out this hidden gem in Portland. Insect or mosquito repellant is recommended! Remember to take whatever garbage you may have with you and do not add to pollution. 

Check out our previous post for more awesome things to do in Portland, Jamaica.

Till next time, 

Walk good.