Puerto Rico’s El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System.
At 28,500 acres in size, El Yunque’s importance lies on the year-round tropical climate and immense biodiversity. Rising 3,600 feet above sea level, most of the forest is composed by the Luquillo Mountains that can receive annual rainfall amounts of 200-inches per year in higher elevations and maintains an average year-round temperature of 79 degrees Farenheit. 200 species of trees and 100 species of ferns can be found in El Yunque.
El Yunque tropical rainforest
While visiting El Yunque is free, the $8 admission fee to El Portal de El Yunque is worth the expense if you are visiting for the first time. It’s here you can purchase a park map for $2.95 in the gift shop and consult with Park Rangers about weather conditions, trail closures, plants, animals, and other attractions.
Planning a hike in El Yunque from El Portal de El Yunque
On our recent visit to El Yunque, we were aware only 200 vehicles are allowed into the park between the hours of 8am and 5pm. Already at capacity, we were turned away on our first attempt. Passing the time at the gift shop and restaurant just outside the checkpoint, we tried again in the early afternoon and were granted access (twenty cars need to exit before new ones are allowed in; we made our move after noticing more cars were heading out than in).
Gift shops and restaurant near the El Yunque entrance
With only an afternoon to explore the park, we identified a six-mile round-trip hike from the Palo Colorado parking lot to the Vereda Los Picachos overlook. If you purchased a park map, you may still want to take a photo of the trail map sign at the trailhead (trails are marked, but we weren’t entirely confident of either map and neither were other hikers we encountered; and out-and-back hike was a good strategy for a first-time visit).
Trailhead map
An intermediate packed dirt dirt trail, plan ahead your shoes will likely be muddy by the end of the journey. You’ll need water and sunscreen, but not necessarily bug spray. A hiking pole might also be a great idea, particularly if you struggle to find balance hiking around rocks and on an uphill/downhill slope.
Muddy and rocky trail conditions at El Yunque
At the summit, sweeping, panoramic views of the rainforest and coastline are you reward for the uphill climb (see the feature photo). An unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience, if you have the chance to road trip to El Yunque National Forest while in Puerto Rico, don’t turn it town.
(But if you stick closer to San Juan, try the Casa Bacardà rum tour.)
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Happy Trails!