Visiting El Yunque After Hurricane Maria
What’s visiting a tropical island without spending time in a tropical rain forest? El Yunque National Forest is a must-see when visiting the island of Puerto Rico. At only an hour’s drive from the capital city of San Juan, El Yunque is the perfect day trip when visiting Puerto Rico.
Due to damage from Hurricane Maria, the national forest was shut down in 2017 and has been slowly re-opening portions of the forest to the public. During our visit in January 2020, most of the park was open – keep reading for more information on what areas of the park were open and which ones are still under restoration.
What is El Yunque National Forest?
El Yungue is the only rain forest in the U.S. national forest system. You will find many rain forests in the U.S. but El Yunque is the only one in the national forest system. The forest records well over 200 inches of rain in a year and is home to several waterfalls and even petroglyphs from the indigenous Taino people.
What is Hurricane Maria?
Hurricane Maria was a devastating category 5 hurricane that hit the island of Puerto Rico in September of 2017. It was the worst natural disaster to ever strike Puerto Rico. Now, two and a half years later, Puerto Rico has mostly recovered from damages done during the hurricane but isn’t entirely back to normal.
What has reopened at El Yunque?
Many of the parks trails and areas have re-opened and are operating as normal.
However, a few iconic areas still remain closed due to damages. Some of these areas include the El Portal Visitor Center and La Mina Trail. If you have seen waterfall pictures taken at El Yunque before the hurricane, chances are they were probably taken at La Mina Falls.
You can find current, up-to-date information on what trails and areas are currently available on the USDA Forest Service website found here.
Below, you will find a map that was provided by the USDA Forest Service and shows which areas of the park are currently available and which ones are still closed.
There is a temporary visitor center set up in Palmer. The address for this temporary site is: #54, Cll Principal, Palmer, 00721, Puerto Rico.
The forest service also had a visitor information tent set up near the entrance of the park, make sure you stop to say hello to the forest rangers and they can tell you the most up-to-date information.
Entrance Fees
Entry into El Yunque National Forest is FREE.
When to Visit
El Yunque National Forest is open all year round except for major holidays. Keep in mind that holidays celebrated in Puerto Rico may differ from major U.S. holidays.
I would recommend visiting in the morning as soon as the forest opens to avoid crowds. El Yunque can become quite busy during peak season.
Waterfalls
Two of El Yunque’s three waterfall areas are currently open and accessible. They are La Coca Falls and Juan Diego Creek. Definitely make time to see them both during your visit to El Yunque.
La Coca Falls
Located right off the main road after entering the forest, La Coca Falls is a spectacular waterfall. Dropping over 85 feet, the water cascades down a huge rock formation at the bottom of the falls.
No swimming is allowed at La Coca Falls but it is a great spot to pull-over and take a few photos. Near the falls, you will find a small parking lot with bathrooms and a small gift shop.
If you’re feeling adventurous and up for a hike, then check out the La Coca Falls Trail. The hike starts at Lo Coca Falls and then descends almost a mile with several stream crossings. The conditions of the trail are steep and very muddy with several downed trees. Expect to spend 3 hours on this trail.
Juan Diego Creek
A few minutes past La Coca falls, you will find the trail head for Juan Diego Creek. The trail head can be difficult to find because there are no signs anywhere in the area. If you’re able to spot the creek from the parking lot, the trail head is located directly to the right of the creek on the right side of the road. Keep in mind that parking is VERY LIMITED here.
After locating the trail head, the hike to the falls is a short & easy 5-minute trail. Because we went early in the day, we only had to share the falls with a few other people. It was very peaceful.
Swimming is allowed here, but the water is very very cold.
Lookouts
Yokahu Tower
Yokahu Tower is located right off of the main road in El Yunque. The tower opens at 9AM each morning and is a great spot to get awesome views of the rain forest. On a clear day, you get a beautiful view of the ocean from the top of the tower.
Mt. Britton Tower
Further up the road, you can find the trail head for Mt. Britton Tower, which was built in the 1930s at the peak of Mount Britton. The tower sits at an elevation of 3,087 feet and the paved trail to the tower is very steep and climbs 594 feet in only 0.8 miles.
Parking can be difficult to find at the trail head, so again, arrive early to beat the crowds.
If you’re up for more hiking after reaching the tower, you can continue on to El Yunque Peak which is the highest point in the national forest and has been reopened after hurricane repairs only recently. However, I have heard that the trail is very strenuous but rewards hikers with views of San Juan on a clear day. Keep in mind that a clear day on El Yunque can be quite rare.
What to Wear to El Yunque
Most of Puerto Rico is hot and humid all year round, but up in the rain forest temps can be a bit chilly with a high probability of rain – hence the “rain forest”.
I would recommend bringing a few extra layers, including a rain jacket to stay dry. Also, a swimsuit if you plan to jump in any of the waterfalls.
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