Forest road tourEl Yunque National Forest: The Road 191 Corridor - Half Day
4.98 49 reviews 98% five stars
- 4.5 hours
- Up to 14
- English, Spanish
- Hotel pickup or meeting point
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from $95 per person
What is El Yunque?
El Yunque National Forest is a tropical rainforest covering nearly 29,000 acres in northeastern Puerto Rico. The US Forest Service manages the forest.
29,000Acres of national forest, or nearly
4Forest types on one mountain
3,280 ftRise, and more, within 5 miles of the coast
Is El Yunque a national park?
El Yunque is a national forest, not a national park; the US Forest Service manages nearly 29,000 acres. The US Forest Service belongs to the US Department of Agriculture.
Entry to El Yunque’s PR-191 recreational corridor is free and needs no reservation. You pay a separate $8 fee at El Portal if you are age 16 or older.
Is El Yunque the only rainforest in the US?
El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the National Forest System, covering nearly 29,000 acres. Alaska’s Tongass National Forest is a temperate rainforest. Tropical rainforest also grows in the National Park of American Samoa.
Our pick: Yokahú Tower if you want to compare the four forest types from one viewpoint. Yokahú Tower stands at PR-191 km 8.8. Parking at Yokahú Tower is limited to 30 minutes.
The four forests of El Yunque
El Yunque has 4 main forest types, from tabonuco on lower slopes to dwarf forest on the highest peaks. Their elevation ranges overlap and are approximate.
- Tabonuco forest490 to 2,300 feet
You see tabonuco trees beside the trail at El Portal Rainforest Center, PR-191 km 4.
- Palo colorado forest1,970 to 3,280 feet
Palo colorado trees grow around Baño Grande, at PR-191 km 11.9.
- Sierra palm forestAbove 1,480 feet on steep slopes
Sierra palms grow along lower Mt. Britton Trail, on steep slopes with wet soil.
- Dwarf forestAbove 2,950 feet
You find short trees shaped by wind and cloud around Los Picachos.
Why is it called El Yunque?
El Yunque’s name, made official in 2007, comes from yuké, meaning white land in Taíno. Yuké refers to the clouded summits of the Luquillo Mountains. The Spanish word yunque means anvil.
Executive Order 13428 renamed Caribbean National Forest as El Yunque National Forest on April 2, 2007. If you encounter Caribbean National Forest in older references, you are reading about the same forest.
Hurricane Maria and El Yunque
Hurricane Maria defoliated almost the entire forest at El Yunque on September 20, 2017. El Yunque lost an estimated average of one tree in five after Irma and Maria. All four forest types were affected.
Hurricane Maria damaged roads in El Yunque with landslides, washouts and loss of pavement. El Portal suffered severe structural damage. Check each stop’s status before you plan your route.
El Yunque history
El Yunque’s protected history began with a Spanish Crown forest reserve in 1876. President Theodore Roosevelt created the Luquillo Forest Reserve in 1903. The reserve became Luquillo National Forest in 1907.
The Civilian Conservation Corps helped build roads and recreation sites in El Yunque during the 1930s. Baño de Oro preserves a 1930s pool built by the corps. You can find the pool at PR-191 km 11.8.
El Yunque tours
We compared all 162 El Yunque tours and kept 71 on reviews and ratings. How we pick tours
Forest road tour
Forest road tourEl Yunque Rainforest Guided Day Tour from San Juan
4.80 527 reviews 89% five stars
- 5 hours
- Up to 14
- English
- Hotel pickup
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from $75 per person
Forest road tourEl Yunque National Forest Guided Tour with Transport
4.78 538 reviews 86% five stars
- 5 hours
- Up to 14
- English, Spanish
- Hotel pickup or meeting point
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from $80 per person
People also ask
What is El Yunque known for?
El Yunque is known for four forest types within the National Forest System’s only tropical rainforest. You can compare the forest types from Yokahú Tower at PR-191 km 8.8. La Coca Falls drops 85 feet beside PR-191 at km 8.1.
Where is El Yunque?
El Yunque is in northeastern Puerto Rico, with its main recreational corridor on PR-191. For the visitor center, you follow that road to El Portal Rainforest Center at km 4. The Luquillo side uses PR-988, where you reach Angelito Trail.
How big is El Yunque?
El Yunque covers nearly 29,000 acres in northeastern Puerto Rico. For your visit, PR-191 serves the forest’s main recreational corridor. El Yunque rises over 3,280 feet within 5 miles of the coast. Four forest types grow across the forest’s changing terrain.
Who runs El Yunque?
The US Forest Service runs El Yunque National Forest and its nearly 29,000 acres. The US Forest Service belongs to the US Department of Agriculture. You can get visitor information at El Portal Rainforest Center, PR-191 km 4. El Yunque National Forest and Luquillo Experimental Forest cover the same area.
How do you pronounce El Yunque?
Pronounce El Yunque approximately “el YOON keh,” with two syllables in yunque. You stress YOON, the first syllable in the Spanish word yunque. The Spanish word yunque means anvil. El Yunque became the forest’s official name in 2007, replacing Caribbean National Forest.