The trail moves up and down along the increasingly steeper east wall of the creek. You periodically see pools and hear the water along the stream below you to the right. You might note here, that there are crustaceans in the water. We have seen crayfish, snails known as Jute, frogs, and water skimming insects, and occasionally, small fish -- suggesting an economic value to the stream.


"...Don Alfonso Vasquez, Don ronnell Vasquez and Don Carmen Cruz ate the water snails or "jutes" found in the creek.

After being caught, the snails were left for more than 24 hours in a basin of water, so that they could release their toxins. ...chop the tip of the shell, and the flesh was cooked.
"Jutes" or Snails

Doña Sofia Cardenas remembers very fondly how they would rush to the creek to capture these water creatures and would serve them with corn tortillas and pepper like a typical Mexican dish. These snails were also prized for their medicinal properties to rid eye irritations and cataracts.

At that time the stream was deeper and wider but now, as you can observe, the sediments from dead leaves and soil are covering the bottom of the stream. Dona Sofia says that at the time, the burning of the land, destruction of the forest and erosion started to contribute to the alteration of the meandering stream. Do you think the stream will also have the ability to recover?" -- EP Community Creek Trail Guide