How to spend a day in El Yunque, Puerto Rico

As the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest System, El Yunque is an unmissable stop for anyone visiting Puerto Rico. Its nearly 29,000 acres of lush landscape are a nature lover’s dream, home to 200 types of trees, 70 kinds of birds, multiple bat and lizard species and 13 coquí species – the island’s beloved noisy little frog.

It’s also a sacred place for Puerto Ricans, with many believing its name derives from the indigenous Taíno word yuké, which means "white earth," referring to the white clouds that cover its mountain tops.

According to several historians, Puerto Rico’s native Taínos believed their god Yocahu lived at the top of these mountains, protecting the lower parts of the island from the hurricanes that occur in the region.

Get to know this history and experience much more – natural pools and waterfalls, hiking routes and ziplining through nature – during a day at El Yunque.

Before you go

The park is open 7:30am to 5pm and is free to enter, but arrive early. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis to reduce overcrowding, so there may be a wait if the park is full. If you’re planning on taking a guided tour, you’ll have to book ahead.

Don’t forget your waterproof layers, as rain showers, though often short, are common and can be intense! Swimwear and a change of clothes are also recommended. 

Due to storms in the region, it’s not uncommon for some of the trails to be closed so be sure to check out the El Yunque US Forest website for the latest information on weather, park closures and safety protocols.

In the morning

Hike through the rainforest

The best way to get to El Yunque is by car and it’s about a 45-minute drive from San Juan. Arrive at the main park entrance on PR-191 and you’ll be at the El Portal Visitor Centre, which is a good place to get your bearings.

Here, you’ll also find the Portal Rainforest Café open from 10am for breakfast. For those of you eager to start earlier, though, it’s advisable to grab some fruit or a local favorite like empanadas before you enter the park to make sure you don’t go hungry.

Once refreshed, head to the nearby Angelito Trail to ease yourself into the day. This is a short 20-minute route in the lower montane forest that finishes as the Río Mameyes, a designated Wild and Scenic river.

The more experienced hikers will want to make their way to La Coca Trail nearby instead. This is a much more challenging route, with steep slopes and various streams as well as a river crossing that ends in the same spot as the Angelito Trail. Be sure to stay on the designated path though, as this is where most people tend to get lost.

Go waterfall swimming

Before lunch, head to Juan Diego Creek and walk its five-minute trail from the car park to the first of its natural pools where you can take a dip. From there a small dirt path will take you through the forest to a beautiful waterfall that you can wade in to. Be sure to keep an eye on the clock as parking here is capped at 30 minutes due to capacity.

For lunch, head to nearby Palmer 

If you’d prefer to stay in the park for lunch, drive up toward the Caimitillo Trail, which is an easy route dotted with a number of picnic spots with tables and barbecue pits along the way.

Otherwise, Palmer is the closest nearby town about a 10-minute drive away and has several restaurant options to choose from like Don Pepe, which serves up local specialities including Puerto Rico’s epic chuletas can can (Puerto Rican crispy pork cooked with the fat left on) or its famous mofongo (mashed plantains with pork rinds), plus loads of seafood options. 

In the afternoon

View the forest from Yokahú Observation Tower

Yokahú Tower is one of two observation towers in the park (the other being Mt Britton covered below). Built by a former forest supervisor in the 1960s and measuring 69ft in height, this is great place to view the four different types of forest within El Yunque in all their glory.

The Tabonuco Forest, Palo Colorado Forest, Sierra Palm Forest and cloud forest can all be seen from Yokahú as well as the Virgin Islands on a clear day.

Follow the trail to Mt Britton Tower or El Yunque Peak

Start at the Mt Britton trailhead sign to begin your mission to the second of the park’s observation towers. It doesn’t take long for the trail to ascend through the Sierra Palm Forest, passing mountain streams and continuing upward through the cloud forest. 

Eventually, you’ll come to a cross in the path where you can turn towards Mt Britton Tower or push on to El Yunque Peak. Constructed of stone, the tower was built in 1937–38 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a voluntary government work relief programme that ran from 1933–1942 for unemployed, unmarried men aged 18–25.

If you fancy skipping the tower, El Yunque Peak can also be hiked via the easy Los Picachos trail, which includes a section of steep stairs to conquer. Persevere for panoramic views of the island’s east coast and those striking white clouds.

Brave an outdoor adventure 

Outdoor adventure activities can be booked in advance. Though not strictly in El Yunque, they’re not far away and include horseback riding that departs from Carabalí Rainforest Park, taking you into the foothills of El Yunque.

Or, for those looking for an adrenaline fix, Yunque Ziplining has five scenic zip lines over a private rainforest, with unique views of El Yunque to take in as you whizz by.

Enjoy a delicious dinner

For dinner drive to Puerto Rico’s “Sun Capitol”, the beach town Luquillo 40 minutes' away and grab dinner at the popular food kiosks that line the beach (known locally as the Luquillo Kiosks). There are about 60 different places to choose from and each are numbered.

These are casual spots so feel hop between them and try what’s on offer, perhaps alcapurrias (fritters) and mofongo at Jíbaro’s Borinquen Restaurant (#22), locally caught seafood at La Parrilla (#2), and doughy calzones and pizzas at Revolution Pizza Shop (#34).

After dark

The Luquillo Kiosks also have a number of drink vendors selling beers, while bars like Tattoo Tavern (#17) and MojitoLab (#42) serve up a steady stream of tropical cocktails. The pumping sounds of reggaeton will never be far away, with bars open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Or if you want to skip the partying, consider heading back to El Yunque for a chance to see those coquí frogs (that are mainly active at night) via a unique night tour with Para La Naturaleza.