Folk knowledge has it that the name was derived from a large
bell (
taktak) that was thrown (
hinulog) into the falls during the 15th or 16th century because the local villagers considered it too loud. Since then, it has become known as
Hinulugang Taktak or the place where the bell fell. One of Antipolo's iconic destinations, the other being the
Antipolo Cathedral, Hinulugang Taktak features in the hymn
Antipolo composed by German San Jose in 1929. On 15 July 1952, five lots with a total area of were reserved as a
recreation area under the administration of the
Antipolo Municipal Government. The largest lot came from the property of James O'Hara and Concepcion Francisco, while the rest came from the properties of Concepcion Leyba y Banson and the
Manila Railroad Company. Beginning in the 1960s, the waters have gradually become polluted. To stop the degradation of the falls, it was designated as a
national park on 18 September 1990. As part of its conversion into a national park, the reserved area was increased to . On 17 November 2000, it became a
protected landscape under Proclamation No. 412, effectively transferring its administration to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the
Rizal Provincial Government. It also mandated the use of the trust fund through the Integrated Protected Area Fund System to add to the limited funding for the park from the national government. Renewed efforts were made to rehabilitate the area in 2009, with an initial three-year budget of 100 million pesos, and in 2013. However, an
oil spill in 2015 forced the closure of the park, followed by rehabilitation efforts. Private institutions also helped in the restoration, including photo exhibits, bamboo planting and other re-greening efforts in the area. Eleven days after the oil spill, the park was reopened to visitors. Hinulugang Taktak was declared a
national park under Republic Act No. 11038 (Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018), signed by President
Rodrigo Duterte in July 2018. On 13 February 2020, Hinulugang Taktak reopened to the public after a long year of rehabilitation and featured recreational activities, including a spider web platform, hanging bridges, and a wall climbing facility. ==Geography and geology==