Wyndham Wisdom

Take a Hike: El Yunque National Park in Puerto Rico

By Charyn Pfeuffer

There's a lot to love about Puerto Rico. For one, you don't need a passport to visit. Its beaches are on par with more exotic locales for a fraction of the price. But as much as I love the Vitamin D factor, fruity rum drinks and mofongo (a fried plantain-based dish), my favorite thing about this Caribbean island is El Yunque - the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System.

When I go to El Yunque, I'm there for one reason - to hike. Spanning 28,000 acres, the forest's 13 hiking trails are extremely well maintained; many of them are easy to navigate and less than one mile long.

The trails on the north side of El Yunque, the park's main tourist hub, tend toward folks with minimal or no hiking experience. There are several short trails (about ½ mile) that are completely paved. On the south side, expect fewer people and moderate to challenging hikes. These trails are not as well-maintained as the marked trails found lower in the forest. Regardless of where you go, you'll be immersed in the sounds, smells and scenic landscape of the park. For avid outdoor adventurers, it's possible to hike between the north and south sides of El Yunque.

Best One-Day Itinerary

Start at the El Portal Rain Forest Center. Drive about 2 1/2 miles past a string of souvenir shops to La Coca Falls-- one of the best photo-ops in the park. From the parking lot, you can watch the water cascade over moss covered rocks, or the more adventurous can climb up slippery rocks to the base of the falls.

Get back in the car for about half a mile to Torre Yokahú (Yokahú Observation Tower), a lookout with vistas of 1,000-year-old trees, exotic flowers and birds in flight. Postcards and books on El Yunque are sold in the small kiosk at the tower's base. The parking lot has restrooms.

Continue just beyond the halfway point to the Area Pasadías Palma de Sierra. Rangers here have information on closures, conditions of open trails, what flora and fauna to look for and any activities planned that day. The Center and the next two parking lots, Caimitillo, and Palo Colorado, allow access to trailheads to both El Yunque summit (about a half-day adventure) and La Mina Falls. Casual hikers should follow the moderate Big Tree Trail - about a half-hour hike. Bring a swimsuit, towel and water shoes or sandals to navigate the slippery rocks. More advanced hikers can follow La Mina Falls Trail. It's only .7 mile long, but climbs to 2,132 ft. Plan 30-45 minutes each way. A little more than a mile up the road is one more trail, Baño de Oro.