Visiting El Yunque: Best Things To Do!

Last Updated on July 16, 2021 by Ale

Lush greenery, refreshing waterfalls and stunning views can all be found at El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the United States. There’s a reason why visiting El Yunque is a must have on any Puerto Rico itinerary!

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One of the most popular ways to see El Yunque is on a guided tour, but if you’d prefer to explore on your own, keep reading to discover the best things to do in El Yunque – you won’t be disappointed! 

El Yunque: Things To Do for an Epic Day

Did you know that El Yunque rainforest  is only 29,000 acres in size? That’s small for a national forest, but this rainforest is mighty. There’s gorgeous waterfalls in El Yunque, as well as miles of hiking trails for anyone to enjoy. Below I’ve compiled a list of El Yunque things to do if it’s your first time visiting. 

NOTE: El Yunque is one of the most popular attractions in Puerto Rico, so I strongly recommend you plan to start your day early to avoid the crowds!

Juan Diego Falls 

Juan Diego Falls is one of those quintessential El Yunque waterfalls – super pretty, and super cool. Best of all, it’s super easy to access Juan Diego, there’s a sign right off the road that lets you know you’re in the right place. 

There’s a very small parking area around kilometer 9.6. Park around here and look for the short trail on the right that will take you to the waterfalls. 

As you start to walk along the trail, you’ll be surrounded by deep, lush green tropical foliage, and you’ll soon see rushing water. Keep going! You’re looking for the natural end of the trail – it opens up to a large, rocky clearing where the first waterfall is obvious. 

Dip your toes in the water, and feel free to go for a swim – the water is a little cold (but super refreshing!)

After you explore the first waterfall, look for a muddy path on the right, this is a slippery and kinda sketchy little trail that will take you up to another, even taller waterfall. 

It took us a few minutes to scramble up the path – watch out for tree roots and even logs along the way. Once you get to the top, you’ll be rewarded with a large, stunning waterfall and pool. You’ll likely find less people in this second waterfall – the tricky climb up dissuades many! 

TIPS: I wore my hiking boots up the muddy path to the second waterfall and was so happy that I thought to bring them. The mud is super slippery, you need good traction. Also! Don’t forget to bring water shoes – the waterfall pools are super rocky, you’ll want to protect your feet. 

Mt. Britton Tower – Hiking in El Yunque

After you’ve cooled off in the El Yunque National Forest waterfalls, it’s time to hit the trails! Mt. Britton Tower is one of the most famous hikes in El Yunque, and with good reason. 

The tower is a beautiful orange color that stands in sharp contrast to the deep green colors of the jungle and the blue skies. Plus, there’s stairs inside the tower that take you all the way to the top where, on a clear day, you can see clear across the island of Puerto Rico, all the way to the water. 

There’s several different ways you can get to Mt. Britton Tower, but perhaps the most straightforward is to drive almost to the end of the main road in El Yunque, and take the 0.8-mile (one-way) trail through the forest. 

The hike takes about 40 minutes one-way, and you start by immediately gaining elevation. The trail is paved, and you’re surrounded by the smells, sights and sounds of the forest. Listen closely and you’ll likely hear the sounds of Puerto Rico’s frog, the coqui. 

As you continue along the trail, you’ll come across a couple of picnic-area-like covered benches where you can rest and take in the views. 

Continuing along, you’ll eventually reach the end of the forest and hit a paved road. Veer right and follow the signs, you’re almost there! 

Mt. Britton Tower will slowly come into view – you may notice the emerald plants perfectly framing the tower! 

Once you reach the tower, climb the stairs to the top and admire the view. Keep in mind, it can get windy, foggy, and cold up there! 

You’ll return to your car the same way you came, but this is where hiking El Yunque National Forest gets easy: it’s all downhill! 

Baño Grande

After you leave Mt. Britton Tower, head back down the road and stop at the Baño Grande, a historic, man-made pool fed by the waters of El Yunque’s rivers. 

Baño Grande is a product of the New Deal era, and was in use from its construction in 1936 up until 1968. Getting here is super easy, there’s a parking lot across the street and then a short walk will take you around the pool (around kilometer 11.9). 

It’s closed to swimming, but it sits as a reminder of the ways that humans have altered the natural landscape of the rainforest. 

Yokahu Tower

Yokahu Tower is another lookout point in Puerto Rico’s El Yunque, and unlike Mt. Britton does not require a long hike to get there. 

Rather, you can see the tower right from the road – there’s a parking lot right at the base of the tower. From here, you can walk to the entrance and climb to the top to take in the views. 

The 69 feet tall tower faces a different direction than Mt. Britton, so your views will be of the northeastern ends of the island, but they’ll still be beautiful. 

Due to its location, Yokahu Tower is super popular. When we visited, there was a line that just barely went out the door to get into the tower. 

La Coca Falls 

One of the tallest of El Yunque falls, La Coca Waterfall towers over the rainforest with an 85 feet drop. It’s seriously impressive. 

You can see this beautiful waterfall right from the road – in fact it’s likely to be one of the first attractions you notice as you drive into the park! 

Due to their location, photographing the waterfall is relatively easy – but it’ll be from a distance or behind a guardrail. There’s also no swimming in this waterfall area. 

La Mina Falls 

Perhaps the most famous of Puerto Rico Waterfalls at El Yunque, La Mina is a super popular area in the rainforest. The waterfall itself has a 35 feet drop into a natural pool where swimming is allowed. 

There’s two trails that will get you here: La Mina Trail and Big Trees Trail. Both trails are around 0.8-mile one way until you reach the waterfall, and they get congested really quickly. 

The trails were closed when we visited El Yunque – if they’re open again when you’re planning your trip, I’d recommend getting here early and doing this first to avoid the crowds (you can do everything else in the same order). 

If you’d like to see a cool waterfall but don’t want to bother with the hike, spend your time at Juan Diego Falls instead – it’s still stunning! 

NOTE: La Mina Falls and the Big Trees Trail are closed due to hurricane damage and aren’t projected to open until 2022. 

Tips for Visiting El Yunque / Know Before You Go 

Now that we’ve covered the fun part of the Things to do in El Yunque National Forest, There’s a couple of things that you should know before you actually go. 

• You should get breakfast right before you get to El Yunque. We really liked the super affordable breakfast sandwiches at Puertorrican Bakery and the acai bowls at Degree 18. 

• Make sure you get to El Yunque early to avoid the crowds. The park currently opens at 8am and closes promptly at 5:30pm. There’s a reservation system in place through summer 2021, so make sure you book your tickets in advance here

• There’s several different areas to El Yunque, but the most popular and accessible is La Mina Recreation Area (every attraction we’ve listed is located here). If you’d like to get more off-the-beaten path, I strongly recommend booking a tour. 

• The speed limit is 20mph, and parking is pretty strictly enforced. The road can be pretty narrow, so forest staff try to make sure no one is illegally parked blocking any portion of the road. 

• After a full day exploring, head to the Kioskos de Luquillo just a few miles up the highway to pick up a late lunch or early dinner of authentic Puerto Rican food.  The nearby Luquillo Beach is a personal favorite, and I highly recommend you check it out. 

• Cell service in El Yunque is spotty at best. Download your offline maps ahead of time. 

• Did you know that you can zipline through the rainforest? Get full details on that here! 

What To Pack for El Yunque 

You don’t need much when visiting El Yunque, but there’s a couple of things you may want to bring with you to the forest – see below for a list as well as recommendations. 

• Water shoes: absolute must if you want to go into the waterfalls. This is the affordable pair I bought for Puerto Rico. 
• Hiking Boots: optional, but recommended. My boots helped give me much needed traction up muddy trails, but I’ve had friends also hike around in hiking sandals successfully. 
• Change of clothes: you’re likely to get wet, so pack some underwear and a change of clothes in a large ziploc bag and stick it in your bag. 
• Quick-dry towel: these turkish towels were awesome in El Yunque, and dried super quick too! 
• Dry bag: I have this small yellow dry bag and it was perfect for keeping everything dry, even when it started to drizzle. 
• Plenty of snacks: especially if you’re hiking. 
• Raincoat, umbrella, or poncho: El Yunque gets on average, 160 inches of rain  a year – it’s likely to rain during your visit. Pack a super cheap poncho, just in case. 
• Waterproof cell phone cover: for bringing your phone into the waterfalls with you and taking cute selfies. This one is an affordable option. 

What to Wear in El Yunque 

Wear a super comfortable outfit, like shorts and a t-shirt  layered over a cute swimsuit. El Yunque can get hot and humid – I wouldn’t want to be wearing jeans or even leggings out here! 

For shoes, sturdy tennis shoes or even hiking boots / sandals should do the trick. 

How to Get to El Yunque from San Juan

If you’re coming to El Yunque from San Juan, getting to the forest should take you anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.

From San Juan, take PR 26 to PR 66 or PR 3 until you hit Highway 191, which will take you to El Portal Visitor Center.

There’s signs on the highway that will point you in the right direction, I suggest you follow them. Do keep in mind that most maps will likely take you to El Yunque on a toll road (no cash allowed). Check with your rental car company before making the trek to see how they handle tolls.

Save This For Later 

As Puerto Rico’s rainforest, El Yunque does not disappoint. If you’re planning a trip to Puerto Rico, El Yunque definitely needs to be on your list.

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