The El Yunque Trail
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This El Yunque trail near the Palo Colorado Information Center and parking can be found near the information center. This is one of the longer trails in the El Yunque rainforest.
The El Yunque trail is about 2.5 miles and takes you from elevations of 2,067 feet to 3,445 feet. The total hiking time is approximately 4 to 4.5 hours. The El Yunque trail is definitely challenging, and is steep and muddy in some places depending on whether or not it's rained. The beginning of the trail is mainly gravel reinforced native flagstone and follows the contours of the mountain. At the halfway point where the trail divides, the El Yunque trail becomes more narrow and steep, and many parts are not paved. |
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The trail starts at some concrete steps across from the visitor center that leads to the Baño Grande pool. At the top of the steps the trail veers to the right and goes along the Caimitillo trail for about 150 feet to the El Yunque trail. If you keep going, you will see the lush canopy of the Palo Colorado forest into the higher elevations of the Mountain Palm (Palma Sierra in Spanish) forest, eventually reaching the Dwarf Forest at the trail’s end.
Where El Yunque, Mount Britton Spur, and Los Picachos trails meet there is an old stone structure with a crumbling chimney, which is a good place to shelter from the rain, eat lunch, or merely enjoy the amazing view.
Where El Yunque, Mount Britton Spur, and Los Picachos trails meet there is an old stone structure with a crumbling chimney, which is a good place to shelter from the rain, eat lunch, or merely enjoy the amazing view.
