Discover a freshwater pool, forest trails and limestone caves connected by an underground water system. This inland park is different from the Great Blue Hole offshore.
What to see & do
Explore forest trails, arrange guided caving or tubing, and ask about swimming conditions. Crystal Cave visits need specialist guiding; protect formations and Maya heritage.
Picture yourself here.
Video posterWhere we work
A 2020 introduction from BAS to the seven protected areas it co-manages.
Belize Audubon Society
Audio and any available captions come from the original publisher.
Getting there
About 12 miles southeast of Belmopan on the Hummingbird Highway. Separate cave and pool entrances have parking; choose the entrance for your activity.
When to go
Water levels and rain affect swimming and cave access. Confirm the day’s conditions before entering the water or a cave.
Facilities & staying longer
BAS lists visitor services, toilets and picnic areas; the pool entrance has changing rooms. Arrange guides and equipment separately.
The park was established in 1986 and renamed in 2005 to distinguish it from the offshore Blue Hole.
A landscape shaped by water
The park protects roughly 575 acres of forest and karst landscape, together with cave ecosystems and Maya cultural resources. An underground stream links St. Herman’s Cave and the freshwater Blue Hole. The swimming pool occupies part of a collapsed limestone cavern through which the river still flows.
BAS describes the surrounding depression as about 300 feet across and 100 feet deep, with the pool itself about 25 feet deep. Conditions and water levels change: ask staff where swimming is permitted on the day of your visit.
St. Herman’s Cave offers formations and Maya heritage, with guided traverses and cave tubing. The official page describes an unguided section extending 200 yards from the entrance; confirm the current permitted route with park staff before entering, and arrange a qualified guide for deeper exploration.
Mountain Cow Cave, also called Crystal Cave, is a more demanding guided journey into large chambers with crystalline formations. BAS connects these caves with the Maya concept of Xibalba and ceremonial use. Leave formations and cultural objects untouched.
Trails and two entrances
The published trail list includes Low Land, High Land, Jungle, Mountain Cow (Crystal Cave), Dusky Antbird and Hummingbird Loop. Birdwatching, wildlife observation and picnicking can be part of a visit even without a cave excursion.
At the St. Herman’s Cave entrance, BAS lists a visitor centre, gift shop, restrooms, picnic area and trailheads. The Blue Hole entrance provides access to the pool, changing rooms, restrooms, picnic space and additional trails. Both entrances have parking; buses on the Hummingbird Highway can stop at either entrance on request.
From a proposed park to a protected place
The cave’s tourism potential was recognized by 1965. James A. Waight proposed protecting part of the site in 1968, and the FAO proposed the wider area as a national park in 1978. After land acquisitions during the 1960s and 1970s, the government declared Blue Hole National Park on November 23, 1986. Its present name was adopted in 2005 to distinguish it from the marine Blue Hole.
Keep exploring
Find BAS reports, visitor resources and birding information in the library, or ask the team for current checklists and trail conditions.
Maps & visitor resources →Visitor information reviewed November 8, 2026. Contact the team for current conditions or special arrangements. Content sources & credits →