Five Blues Lake National Park

Five Blues Lake National Park Review

At Five Blues Lake National Park, until 2006 you were able to hike 3 mi (5 km) of trails, explore several caves, and canoe and swim in this lake with five shades of blue. The lake was a cenote, a collapsed cave in the limestone. In July 2006, despite heavy rains, the water level in the lake began to recede. On July 20, 2006, local residents heard a strange noise "as if the lake were moaning." A giant whirlpool formed, and most of the water in the lake was sucked into the ground. Many of the fish died, and the lake looked like a dry pit. Researchers believe that a sediment "plug" dissolved and the lake drained, like water from a bathtub, into underground sinkholes and caves. As of this writing, the lake has refilled with water, but the park isn't what it was before 2006. The park entrance is about 3½ mi (5¾ km) from the Hummingbird Highway, via a narrow and very rough dirt road. Bikes can be rented in St. Margaret's village, from which village volunteers manage the park, and homestays and overnight camping in the village also can be arranged.