turismo ·
Record flow closes Cataratas walkways: what's open and what changes
Marco Três newsroom · edited by Annie Grellmann
The final walkways of the Iguaçu Falls were temporarily closed for safety — the Devil's Throat walkway (Argentinian side) since 3 p.m. on Wednesday (22) and the final section on the Brazilian side on Thursday (23) — with a flow of 7,724 m³/s, among the top 5% highest ever recorded. Both parks remain open, with the other viewpoints and circuits operating.
What is closed: Iguazú National Park (Argentina) preemptively closed the Devil's Throat circuit at 3 p.m. on Wednesday (22), according to the park; the Upper and Lower circuits stay open and the park operates normally. On the Brazilian side, concessionaire Urbia Cataratas announced the temporary closure of the final walkway — the rest of the Trail of the Falls and the viewpoints remain open. Reopening is an operational decision by the parks, announced on the day; check live status at /cataratas-hoje before you go.
The size of the water: the measurement at Marco Três (ANA Hotel Cataratas station) recorded 7,724 m³/s at 9 a.m. this Thursday — top 5% of the entire historical series, equivalent to 3.1 Olympic pools per second. It is expected to rise further: upstream in Capanema, the gauge marked 10,000 m³/s at 5 a.m., and this surge takes 15 to 20 hours to reach the falls, according to monitoring released by regional press. Flow is the volume of water passing a point each second; the historical average at the Falls is around 1,500 m³/s.
High flow does not mean the park is closed. That is the norm for large flows: in October 2023, with 24,000 m³/s (16 times the average), the parks only closed the final walkways and kept the viewpoints open — the river at the height of drama. The absolute record is 46,300 m³/s, set in June 2014. With high volume, the sound is louder, the mist covers more trail, and photos gain a rare backdrop.
For visitors in the coming days: the viewpoints continue to offer the most impressive scene of the year — but the most famous section (the walkway over the Devil's Throat) depends on an official reopening. Check the day's status at /cataratas-hoje (we update with ANA measurements and park notices), bring a raincoat or poncho and footwear with good grip: dense mist makes the floor slippery.
What this means for you: you can go — the parks are open and the falls are putting on a rare show — but you cannot count on the final walkway until the parks announce its reopening. Confirm the day at /cataratas-hoje before buying tickets.
Read also: Are the Iguaçu Falls open today?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current flow of the Iguaçu Falls and how does it compare to the historical average?
- The flow is 7,724 m³/s, almost five times the historical average of about 1,500 m³/s, placing it among the top 5% highest ever recorded.
- How should I prepare to visit the Falls with this record flow?
- Arrive early, wear non‑slip shoes and bring a raincoat or poncho to face the denser mist and potentially slippery path.
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Content verified by the newsroom based on an official source: Marco Três · ANA · Urbia Cataratas · Parque Nacional Iguazú. Last checked: 7/23/2026. Found something inaccurate? We fix it fast. How we work.
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