El Yunque Rainforest

Puerto Rico’s National Rainforest

Feb 4, 2007 Estela Kennen

El Yunque is the largest rainforest in the Caribbean, and makes for a great day trip when you are visiting the island.

It would almost be sacrilegious to go on vacation to Puerto Rico without going to the Caribbean National Rainforest. Even if guided tours aren’t your thing, you should go on a short one for the wealth of information you will get—about the climate of the rainforest; the plant diversity (the forest is home to over 240 species, 26 found nowhere else on Earth); the legends and beliefs of the Tainos, the original Puerto Ricans; the endangered Puerto Rican parrot, and more.

In general, El Yunque is very safe. There are few snakes, and none of them are poisonous. And while this rainforest is the biggest one in the Caribbean, it is missing the exotic dangerous of the larger Central and South American rainforests. Furthermore, almost all the trails are well marked, and many of them are paved. The biggest danger is slipping on the wet path. When you go, be sure to dress sensibly; bring sturdy shoes and a raincoat.

El Yunque Trails

There are about 24 miles of recreational trails. Ask a Park employee at the Interpretive Service Center to recommend some trails to you, given your time limit and fitness level. Here are a few suggestions:

Bano de Oro and Camitillo are short and sweet, yet very paronamic.
La Mina ends at a waterfall—the perfect place for a picnic. Be careful, though – it’s steep going.
Mount Britton is a fairly rigorous hike that leads you to a tower atop a peek. It’s a great view.

If you love to hike and want to avoid the crowds, El Yunque is definitely the trail to take. It’s a 2-4 hour roundtrip hike (depending on your ability) that takes you from the lush tropical canopy to the stunted, mossy trees of the Cloud Forest. You will climb to a height of nearly 3,500 feet where, depressingly, you will find a service road. Be sure to take the trail behind the radio tower. It will lead you to El Yunque rock, which offers one of the most magnificent views of the island. The rock might be shrouded in fog, or the view might be incredibly clear, but either way the ambiance is almost magical.

Regardless of which trail you take, as you walk listen carefully to the sounds of the rainforest. With a little luck, you should be able to hear the call of Puerto Rico’s most vocal—but tiny—amphibian: co-qui, co-qui!

Getting There

The main entrance to El Yunque is located between San Juan and Fajardo, and is about a 45 minute drive from the capital. If you’re not going on a chartered bus, keep a good eye out—the entrance road is easy to miss. From the highway called PR3, turn south onto 191 and follow the signs

The copyright of the article El Yunque Rainforest in Latin Am/Caribbean Travel is owned by Estela Kennen. Permission to republish El Yunque Rainforest in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.