El Yunque Rainforest

this is one of the highlights of puerto rico. driving these mountainous roads can be challenging for a first timer, just be careful on the MANY curbed roads. Slow down! Mornings before 9am is much less congested.
I suggest you get to la mina falls before 9am to enjoy some silence and take in a more naturalistic experience. The water is COLD! around 9am people start pouring in.
the trails are fun and many can be very long. The yunque trail is one long trail with some heavy altitude climbing. for any trails that you choose to do it’s best to get to the top early, before or around noon. Soon after that, clouds set it and your views virtually disappear, which sucks bc you make that treacherous hike up the trails mainly for those high top views.

Must-​see stop in Puerto Rico! Easily accessible via car, (mostly) free, and well-​marked, paved trails. We stopped at La Coca Falls, La Mina Falls, the tower, and hiked Mount Britton. My (much braver than I) friend went into the water at La Mina, but it was way too cold for me.
My favorite part was Mt. Britton — there’s a tower with some breathtaking views of the forest and clouds.
Parking was easy to find, and definitely wear layers. It gets chilly up there!

What a beautiful place. What I loved the most were the beautiful stones and rocks. The water was very clean, there were many tourists, and had many different parts that you can see

Free!
I believe it only cost us $ 5 for parking but the rain forest is free to enter! Be sure to mind the park hours. They close the roadway gates and you would be stuck inside after closing.
There’s a visitor center with a very short educational trail near the front. Then you have to drive through to get to the waterfalls or actual hiking trails. Visitor center guy told us hiking trails take at least 2 hours so we didn’t hike but we did drive through and stop for lots of photos! Waterfalls were beautiful and the tower was awesome — in the middle of the forest but can see the beach and ocean.
Saw mostly lizards. I was scared about snakes but we didn’t see any. They have signs that say the mongoose have rabies, just FYI. You won’t see any parrots, as they are quite rare. Sorry :(If you want to see parrots, drive to the Science Park in Bayamon — Parque de las Ciencias. They have an awesome little zoo there. (Everything is in Spanish.)

Sooo beautiful! As crazy as it sounds, the rain added an extra element of mystique! The waterfalls were gorgeous and the views unbelievable! We drove through in our own vehicle and I am glad we did. As long as you stay on the main road, you will not get lost. We did not do any of the trails but made several stops, including at the tower and to play in one of the waterfalls. I definitely recommend to go on your own and rent a car/​Jeep if possible!
Recommendation: Travel in your own car, take sandals and clothes that can get wet!

The rainforest is about a 45-​minute drive from Old San Juan where we were staying. I feel like our experience was pretty generic, but here goes…
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The rainforest itself was breathtaking. We only hiked the trail to La Mina Falls, but drove the entire way up the mountain in order to take it all in. It’s kind of a once-​in-​a-​lifetime experience if you never travel to South America, so worth the drive and the sweat that drenched us by the end of the adventure.
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This (meaning La Mina falls) is clearly one of the main destinations for visitors and tourists to PR… not only were the falls so crowded we didn’t bother to jockey our way in, but the narrow, 1-​mile pathway to the falls themselves was swarming with people (mostly the loud, annoying variety), which really detracted from the nature, the peace, and the experience. Other reviewers said it best: we made the mistakes of: A) going on a weekend, and B) going in the middle of the day. Even in May it was just packed on a Saturday afternoon. Worth it, but don’t expect what you’re expecting… expect it to be PACKED, loud, and peaceless.

1 Star for Forest Service and Staff! 10 Stars for the park…
The staff was terrible… We had to wait around to try to get on a tour and where ruddy blown off by the park staff.
Most of the park is apparently off limits without private tours and getting the tours is not so simple unless you are a real tourist and are part of a bus tour.
The rainforest is absolutely wonderful and I wish more trails were more open to normal public use on public lands.
it is worth a visit, but it’s greatness is severely hindered by what can only be explained as the rudeness I have never seen at another US National Park where staff is usually exceptionally great…

Beautiful rainforest with tons of different plants! Unfortunately there are barely any creatures. I saw some small lizards, snails and birds.
Do not stop at the visitor center at the bottom. It’s 4 per person but you don’t need to go through there. Just drive up for free! Be careful because the road is a two way and there are tight corners where you won’t see incoming cars.
The tower is a really cool place to check out for photos of the top of Yunque. The big tree trail is all grated so it’s very easy to walk on even during the rain. We walked to the waterfall and then continued about 20 minutes up to see more of the waterfall. Everyone hangs out by the main waterfall so it was nice to get away!
Since it’s a rainforest it probably will rain during your visit. We got drenched. Bright side– the rain doesn’t last too long.
On the drive back to San Juan there is a long strip of small stores and restaurants. Stop here! The food is amazing!

Despite the constant rain, the El Yunque park has roads and paved walkways.
We were able to get to the La Mina falls hike without problems. The path was well paved and took us an easy 20 minutes to get to the falls. The waterfalls was nice, the rainforest lush.
We also stopped by a tower for a great view of the valley. The stairs were kept well enough. Good parking spaces.
There was a roadside waterfall we also stopped by. There was parking on either side, but honestly, nosey drivers would slow down trying to do a drive by of the waterfall when they could have parked right around the corner.
No fees. Visitor center at the entrance. Great stop in Puerto Rico!

Wowzers. El Yunque is truly a thing of beauty. There are lots of places to visit while vacationing in Puerto Rico, but this pristine rainforest should be at the tippy top of your list.
It’s about a 45 minute drive from old San Juan. There are plenty of taxi or guided tour options, but my suggestion is to rent a car. A basic car is around 75 for the day, whereas a taxi or a tour can start at 75 per person. And then you are free to stay as long as you’d like, and can stop at the Luquillo beach on the way back. And being on the tour just didn’t look fun. I had a way better time exploring on my own!
When you enter the rainforest I’d suggest avoiding the visitors center and heading right up to the trails. It’s 4 dollars per person for a map that can easily be found online. We fell into this tourist trap… grrrrr.
As we drove up the windy road to the Mina falls we stopped at a few scenic lookout points along the way. Looking out at the massive stretches of palm tree covered mountains and bright blue oceans was spectacular. I’ve been to plenty of Caribbean beaches, but this view was unlike anything that I’d ever seen before. After all, you are in a tropical rainforest.
Finally, we made it to the base of the trail for the Mina falls, which was the main reason we had come. The hike was around 45 minutes each way and was really flat and easy. The falls were a bit crowded, but there was still plenty of room for everyone to enjoy and swim around. The water was fuhhhhh-​reeeezing, and even though I was a little nervous I made the jump. YOYO– you only Yunque once.
I wish that there was more wildlife here, but unfortunately, the Yunque isn’t really known for wildlife. But, for some great hiking, waterfall swimming and breathtaking views this is where you want to be.

Great experience! My friend and I decided to be adventurous and hike the La Mina Falls Trail to the waterfall. The hike was beautiful. This was my first time hiking through a rainforest. Now I’m no frequent hiker, and I rarely hike. However, I’m so glad I challenged myself and decided to hike this trail. It is about 40 minutes down and 40 minutes up. Going down to the waterfall isn’t bad, it’s coming up the millions of steps and steep trail that presents the challenge. I definitely felt like I had my workout for the week, but it was worth it. The waterfall is beautiful, and the water felt great. It also presents a great photo opp for all my photographers or people who like being in pictures ;p.

MUST DO ACTIVITY. If you’re ever in Puerto Rico, do this, otherwise, what’s the point?
Pros:
–it’s freaking gorgeous. Duh.
–no harmful animals in this tropical rainforest.
–didn’t even see mosquitos.
–there are 2 magnificent waterfalls!
–the trails are safe enough that even when it rains (which is always does) you feel safe to hike
Cons:
–it’s pricey to go as a group tour but honestly, it was worth it to me because they did all the driving, explaining, and there’s always someone to take the photo of you instead of you having to inadequately do a selfie. So, I guess this turned out to be a «Pro» in disguise.

Ahhhh I’m so jealous of all the people who got to see the waterfalls at their best. When I visited… the water was meager and didn’t feel as grand :(
This place is absolutely beautiful, no doubt about it. However our tour guide didn’t really take us to the best locations, so it didn’t feel like the majestic rainforest it could be.
The hiking trails are fun, easy to walk through and filled with exotic flowers.
My advice for tourists is to NOT go with a tour group and go on your own terms. Spend a long time there because going as a group will limit the amount of fun you have.

As the only rainforest in the US, El Yunque is a must see when coming to Puerto Rico. As everyone else has said, COME EARLY. I didn’t take a tour but honestly, you don’t need to. Also, a lot of tour buses come at the same time so you’re going to have to deal with lots of people and it’s hard to get around those on the trail when it’s so muddy and slippery!
The roads are paved thank goodness, so I don’t think hiking boots are necessary. Trails are made more difficult with the humidity and the rain, but definitely don’t let that stop you.
We did big tree trail, el Mina falls and went up the Yokahu tower. We got there around 8 AM and parking was not a problem! You can hear wildlife everywhere you go, the falls from half a mile away, and the rustling of trees and leaves as you walk along the path. It’s so beautiful, it’s incredible to think something like this is available so close off the coast of California.
Coco falls is HUGE. As we were leaving, we saw so many people trying to take pictures in front but again, no one is there at 8am! I felt la Mina was smaller in comparison but it spreads out very far (don’t know how far coco falls spreads since I didn’t hike that trail).
For Yokahu tower, even if it’s raining, you’ll still get a wonderful view. It’s so great because you’re above the canopies and you get the chance to see the birds you’ve been hearing your entire hike down below. The view is great and definitely worth stopping by.
The hikes are difficult and definitely possible for younger kids, I saw kids around the age of 5 doing the hike and jumping into the falls. Unfortunately, I can see why some would break their legs on the hike because it’s rainy thus slippery! Sometimes I got nervous from the rain and walking down a slope so I just kinda booked it down haha.
Either way, it’s a great place for people of all ages to see! Even driving through the rainforest is wonderful, so it’s definitely a must see when coming to Puerto Rico!

Now THIS is rainforest! Holy sacred cows.
It was a little overcast when we made the drive from Vega Baja and it was a great drive there (about 45 minutes.) The forest was warm and vibrant with all the greenery. Birds were singing, the Cocqui frogs were imitating birds with their hilarious bird-​like calls that sounds like they’re asking for a cookie: Coooo-​KIE!!! Coooooo… KIE!!!
Our local friend couldn’t make it that day but she advised that the hiking trails that show as ‘difficult’ on the map are an average hike if you come from a mountainous area and are used to hiking. If I had to gauge the time we spent getting to El Yunque peak — the highest peak — without stopping, I would say it took only an hour or so. The paths even given the rockier bits were really well-​marked and maintained. Plus, they have plenty of no-​pay parking.
But you must stop; stop at La Mina Falls and swim in the small but powerful waterfall. The water was brisk when stepping in, but you acclimated to it quickly. This is where all the happy people are! Everybody was laughing and having a good time.
The Bano Grande is just a big bowl of water. We stopped, looked at it, and went on our way. Anything named the ‘Big Toilet’ couldn’t be too amazing.
Once we got to El Yunque Peak, the clouds blocked the view of the forest, but the earlier stop at the Yokahu Tower at the beginning of the trail boasted picture-​worthy views.
Items to bring:
Waterproof camera set-​up/​GoPro
Water-​friendly shoes, if you plan on getting into water
Hiking shoes/​shoes with good grip
Water/​snacks
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

I made the drive all the way out here to make the most of my car rental everyday. It was worth it!
We got there pretty late, at roughly 3:20 PM and the park closed at 6:00 PM. We were afraid we wouldn’t make it because they stressed that once it gets dark it will be really bad. But guess what we did, we visited the tower and hiked to la mina falls and made it down by 5:00 PM.
We stopped at the visitor center to grab a map, and you pretty much drive up the mountain and stop at each attraction. La Coca falls is literally like a natural fountain on the side of the road. Next was the tower, we parked sprinted up, took photos and made it down. Continued to La Mina Falls, where it was a very easy hike to this gorgeous waterfall that you can swim in.
You can go further and do the longer hike to El Yunque peak. But of course we didn’t have time for that.
Quick tips:
— Bring your bathing suit to swim in the refreshing waterfall
— Visit the Visitor Center for the map
— Do NOT put «El Yunque rainforest» in your google map, make sure you’re going to the area where you can park. I would suggest typing in La Mina Falls, there’s only one trail there and you pass the visitor center on the way up.

El Yunque is the only rainforest national forest, and it’s accessible to ordinary people for free by paved roads, though they felt a little narrow in our Jeep Wrangler rental. It’s not national-​park caliber, but I’m glad we did it, even in the limited time we had. It’s more developed than most national forests. It’s the only rainforest I’ve seen, so I don’t have another point of comparison.
Our half-​day here felt a little rushed, but I think we did hit the accessible high points: La Coca Waterfall, Yocahu Tower, and La Mina Falls. The former two are right on 191, which we followed from the north. La Mina requires about a mile hike (or run in our case) on a paved but primitive trail from one of two starting points. We couldn’t drive farther than La Mina (Palo Colorado Information Center) due to a mudslide, which was just as well because we were out of time. That meant we had to leave the Old Tower and the Torre Mount Britton hike for another day.

This is the perfect rainforest if you want drive and hike through a rainforest without getting eaten by some gigantic beast. It’s full of life, but that really, really non-​threatening life like lichens, moss, birds and semi-​invisible insects.
We marveled at every part of this rainforest. Maybe it’s because we spent all of elementary school learning about rainforests and had yet to visit one. Maybe it’s because the overwhelming green was a sight for sore eyes for two midwesterners coming from a dead, dry winter setting. Maybe, just maybe, it’s because it’s a pretty spectacular part of nature and you get to see it from all angles at this national park.
Some reviews said to skip the visitor’s center. We listened and wish we hadn’t (sorry fellow Unilocalers and Unilocalettes) because it was actually really cool, open, airy, informative and helped us get our bearings a bit when we decided to turn around and see it.
As for the trails: the La Mina Falls was a ball of stress to be frank. It’s beautiful trail and pretty cool waterfall, for sure, but it’s the trail that everyone comes to do. Not trying to sound hipster, it’s just legitimately difficult to walk on the narrow stone path with hoards of poncho drenched, eye-​contact avoiding tourists. Another thing, it might be cool to glide over the slippery rocks and swim there but you’re probably going to get wet anyways, it’s the rainforest.
We stopped at a little café and had a chorizo quesadilla and it was fun to watch the rain pour down, the sun to creep back out and watch the cycle continue.
Our favorite part? The Mt. Britton trail which we somehow starting calling cloud city. Strange what the altitude can do to you… It was well marked and easy to park nearby. We made good time and loved the ascension; not straight up but definitely gets you up there quickly. The little castle tower at the end is every bit as climatic as you would hope. It was super cloudy and rainy, but something surreal while we were up in the clouds — we could hear it pouring BELOW us. I’ve never had anything like that happen while standing on solid ground.
So yes, spend a day here, enjoy it, dodge some all-​around friendly tourists and take in the absolute magnificence of having the sights, sounds and amazing amount of life teeming throughout.

El Yunque National Forest, the rainforest of Puerto Rico is really a must see. They have a fabulously beautiful visitor center, plenty of walking trails, waterfalls, a viewing tower and all sorts of exotic plant life.
It will take you a good solid day to cover it and my suggestion would be to do it on a tour bus, I used E & B Tours, as it will make everything so much easier.
I would also strongly recommend wearing some very good sneakers or hiking shoes, and to be very, very careful. The fallen tree leaves on the trails can be super slippery. Just during the brief period of time I was at the Big Tree Trail Head walking La Mina falls, one person fell, broke her hip and three others fell breaking their legs. In fact one those who broke their leg suffered such a serious break they had to be emergency airlifted out.

El Yunque should definitely be on your to-​do list for PR if you haven’t seen it already!!!
Visiting here gave me the nature thrill that I was craving for. The rain-​forest goes up for many miles to many amazing trails and views… some more exclusive than others. La Mina falls was beautiful but a little crowded. I would definitely pack some water-​friendly shoes because the rocks on the bottom of the waterfall were pretty painful. I ended up wearing my sneakers in.
I loved the private trails a mile up past La Mina the most. I was able to put my headphones on and get lost from the crowd and enjoy so many small streams and mini waterfalls. It’s truly an amazing experience to get away from it all and enjoy all the beautiful trees and mountain scenery.
Lower down to the main streets on ground level they have many food kiosks. The food is pretty good and great to refuel after a long day of hiking and climbing. I love the homemade lemonade stands at the entrance of the forest as well. It was really fresh and exactly what I needed after a few hours of hiking.