"El Yunque in practical terms" El Yunque/Caribbean Rain Forest Tip by dlandt

A lot has been written already about El Yunque, so I'll write down more of how I would plan a visit rather than what there is to see and do.

The park rangers told me the crowds start ot build at the waterfall, which is the big draw, at about 10:30 in the morning, so get there early and see them first. Since it takes about half an hour to hike down the trail (assuming you have women or children with you) you should try to get there as early as possible. You take highway 191 south from PR3 and you do NOT gave to stop at the visitor reception. That will only take time and there isn't much to see unless you are an academic specializing in ecological conservation, and even if so, you would probably know most of what they tell you anyway. Visiting the visitor center is also the only reason you would need to pay as the park itself is free, as is parking. Parking is very limited at the trailheads of the falls, so the earlier you get there, the better. There are no changing facilities at the bottom of the falls, so change on the way as you get a chance or wear your suits under your clothes.

The falls are very crowded, especially as the tour buses start disgorging their denizens into the park, and will also slow down your hike. Even without the buses, the falls have limited space, and nothign in the way of comfort. Bring aqua shoes if you have them, the bottom is loose stone and hard on your feet. The water is five feet deep at its deepest with three feet being more typical. BBQ facilities are available up towards the trailheads. There are no concessions anywhere along the trails.

Unless you want to do extensive trail hiking, the rest of the easily accessible areas of the park can be found in fairly short order. There is another falls, purely photographic, you can't go in there, plus a scenic lookout and a tower that gives you a great view. Trails loop through the park, the longest of which is about 11 kilometers. Hiking is the only way to visit the Britton tower, which basically marks the end of the park.

Address: Along Hwy 191
Directions: Roughly three miles west of Luquillo or seven miles east of the PR3 and A66 interchange. Expect traffic on PR3 anytime during daylight hours.
Phone: 787 888 1880
Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/caribbean/