El Yunque Peak
El Yunque Peak
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
157 reviews
Excellent
115
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Poor
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Terrible
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EJW3
Southold, NY721 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
We hiked to El Yunque Peak from the Mt. Britton Tower Parking area. It is a very scenic and enjoyable hike and the views from the peak on a clear day are amazing. From the top you can get a great view of the peaks and valleys of the National Forrest, see the Atlantic to the north, San Juan to the west, and the Caribbean to the south.
Although from the parking area El Yunque Peak looks far away and high up, the trail is well marked, well maintained, and comfortable, and the climb and change in elevation is easily manageable. When you reach the fork for the Mt. Britton Tower, the trail to the tower is to the right. It is a short hike on a spur trail and the tower is worth the visit. The service road to El Yunque peak is to the left, and the hiking trail to the peak is straight ahead on the left. I recommend that you take the trail. The road to the peak is smooth and paved, and the distance is shorter, but it is very, very steep. The trail to the peak is longer, and rocky and uneven, but it is much more scenic and the change in elevation is much more gradual.
Although from the parking area El Yunque Peak looks far away and high up, the trail is well marked, well maintained, and comfortable, and the climb and change in elevation is easily manageable. When you reach the fork for the Mt. Britton Tower, the trail to the tower is to the right. It is a short hike on a spur trail and the tower is worth the visit. The service road to El Yunque peak is to the left, and the hiking trail to the peak is straight ahead on the left. I recommend that you take the trail. The road to the peak is smooth and paved, and the distance is shorter, but it is very, very steep. The trail to the peak is longer, and rocky and uneven, but it is much more scenic and the change in elevation is much more gradual.
Written April 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AchimS
Schorndorf, Germany78 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
This hiking tour is of moderate difficulty and takes you to El Yunque peak (3496 feet/1065m). As hurrican Maria devastated 2017 a lot of the National Park area, one should check the NPS website in advance. After entering the National Park Portal, where you get a little flyer with an overview of the hotspots and open/closed trails, it takes around 15 minutes to the parking area below El Yunque/Mt. Britton Peak. There are few parking lots so be there a little bit earlier than the crowd.
We began the tour at 11:30 AM on a weekday. The trail starts on a narrow concrete path and merges with the paved forestal service road. Taking a short right, at 11:50 AM we reached Mt. Britton Tower with a panoramic view. Back at the forestal service road one can decide to follow the paved road or to enter the trail, which isn‘t challenging (neither too steep nor too muddy).
At 12:15 PM one reaches a trail junction point El Yunque / Mt. Britton Spur (at a little shelter). The El Yunque trail downwards is still closed due to hurricane Maria. Same at the following junction (Los Picachos). At 1:00 PM arrival at El Yunque Peak. On a clear day, you have a fantastic panorama over Puerto Rico and you can spot the US Virgin Islands on the horizon. The way back is pretty easy now, take the paved road back. At 2:00 PM arrival at the parking area.
We began the tour at 11:30 AM on a weekday. The trail starts on a narrow concrete path and merges with the paved forestal service road. Taking a short right, at 11:50 AM we reached Mt. Britton Tower with a panoramic view. Back at the forestal service road one can decide to follow the paved road or to enter the trail, which isn‘t challenging (neither too steep nor too muddy).
At 12:15 PM one reaches a trail junction point El Yunque / Mt. Britton Spur (at a little shelter). The El Yunque trail downwards is still closed due to hurricane Maria. Same at the following junction (Los Picachos). At 1:00 PM arrival at El Yunque Peak. On a clear day, you have a fantastic panorama over Puerto Rico and you can spot the US Virgin Islands on the horizon. The way back is pretty easy now, take the paved road back. At 2:00 PM arrival at the parking area.
Written January 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hungrygirl14
Cozumel, Mexico71 contributions
Nov 2015
We had a difficult time figuring out the best way to access El Yunque but decided to rent a car (vs taking a tour). This worked out very well for us. We were staying in Old San Juan, took a taxi to the Hilton Caribe, and rented a car from Enterprise (get ready to wait a long time). The drive from the Hilton to El Yunque was very easy and took 30-40 min. You can go to the visitor's center but you pay $4 per person to get a map so you can totally skip that and parking is free elsewhere in the park. I will include the maps they gave us and save you the $4/person charge. We drove to La Coca Falls and the first tower then parked at La Mina Falls. The hike to La Mina was nice and worth it (about 1 mi each way) but there are large crowds. You can swim there too. The hike to El Yunque Peak was gorgeous with no crowds at all. It was very peaceful and scenic. Unfortunately when we finally arrived at the peak the clouds blocked our view. On the way back down we stopped at Mt. Britton tower, which had spectacular views. The trail is probably 2-3 mi each way. There are many places to stop for food, water, and bathrooms before hiking up to the peak but I'd recommend bringing your own snacks if you're looking for something healthy to eat on the trail. We stopped by Laquillo Beach before heading back to Old San Juan, which was nice as well (and about 10 min from El Yunque). Don't miss out-it was a fantastic day!
Written November 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
José O
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico10 contributions
Dec 2015
This is a place I continue to visit often ever since I went. The view at the top makes up for the climb which isn't strenuous but not easy either. "The snail goes up Mt. Fuji, slowly." if you encounter any struggle with your legs remember that. The trail is rocky with some muddy parts, doable. About 3.5/4 on your way there you'll see a path towards "Los Picachos trail" only take this if you're too tired and want to go back home with great pictures, if not, keep going up to the summit. Once at the top, you'll want to have lunch there and enjoy the breeze for as long as you can. It takes about 2.5 hours to get to the top for a not so fit person (or a photographer LOL) you'll make it to the top in much less if you're used to mountain hiking. There are about 5 rain shelters along the way with benches to sit on.
P.S. It's very safe, no bears, or wolves or highly venomous animals. It's a shaded path until the summit.
P.S. It's very safe, no bears, or wolves or highly venomous animals. It's a shaded path until the summit.
Written May 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kjwachtel
Carmel, IN236 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
Beautiful place and unique, don't miss doing at least one hike in the park. The visitor center is generally helpful but you end up having to take a picture of the trail map as they were not giving amy out. Have the person at the desk tell you about the trails ans parking areas. Go early, parking and traffic get heavy, even on the Thursday we went. 8-9am is my suggestion. Hugely recommend taking the hike all the way to the top of El Yunque, you are in the clouds and the view is outstanding, the air is fresh and cooler. It took my group about 2 hours each way, the trail is rough and rocky so wear good shoes or your feet will be bruised. Take plenty of water and some food if you plan to spend any time up there, it is strenuous but doable. Also, be careful about your route up and down, there are a number of trail options and it is easy to come down a different route than you went up and your car will not be there. Note the kilometer marker where you parked just in case you have to use the main road to finish your journey-close to 6 miles based on my use of gps. Have fun and prepare to sweat!
Written July 29, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lindsay M
2 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
We used E&B tours for the rainforest, beach and bio bay tour. We could have rented a car and "guided" ourselves for much less. Pick up was at 9 am. The van driver dropped us off at the rainforest with just enough time to hike to the waterfall and back with a small amount of time to splash in the water. It felt very rushed. Then we rushed off to the beach to eat and play in the water for an hour and a half. Since restaurants run on island time that left is around 30 min to play in the water. The Bio Bay tour was subcontracted out, meaning we over paid. The tour pamphlet stated snacks and refreshments would be provided...they were provided by the Bio Bay kayaking company after that excursion at 8:30 pm!!! Last, We paid $125 per person and we over heard other people on the trip paid far less. If you choose to go with E&B, negotiate your price.
Written July 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeam P Gonzalez
Puerto Rico65 contributions
Theres only one word for this place "Magic" you can walk miles and miles on lil roads inside this big forest. Great temperature and good for walk. Not recommended for people 60+ old. Take water and some snacks.
Written May 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Miami, FL35 contributions
Mar 2015 • Family
Take a tour, or a hike or whatever you can, and experience, Puerto Rico's rain forest. 3500 in height, beautiful green trees, lakes, waterfalls. Breathtaking to experience earth natural beauty. Take the family with you. It does rain...LOL you may want a rain coat.
Written March 25, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VarshaVenkat
Illinois26 contributions
The rainforest is 50 minutes away from San juan. Make sure you key in "El Yunque Visitor center" in GPS and not el yunque national forest, as it takes you into the rainforest, opposite to the place where the hike starts. It might it best to just use the directions given in tripadvisor. Once you get there things get pretty straightforward. The parking is free and there are three trails to choose from. We did the easy one which led us to the La Mina waterfalls in about 25 minutes. The water was cool and refreshing to swim in. Bring your own towels and change of clothes if you are planning to swim and keep in mind that there are no changing rooms. I would definitely recommend wearing shoes, since the trail gets slippery sometimes. Definitely worth the visit !
Written December 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ClaireWithLove
Germantown, MD2,180 contributions
Nov 2014 • Couples
We took an independent tour of only 6 people and hiked to the summit / peak for a 360 degree view of San Juan. It was about 1 hour, 40 minutes up-hill over several trails and about 40 minutes down (much easier). It was not the normal trails (La Mina) used by the cruise ships or big tours and very few people were on the trail. I think we took the El Yunque trail (the long trail) instead of Mt. Britton which looks shorter and we passed. You can ask at the visitor center for a map or print one out before you go. The first trail was a paved, cement sidewalk with stone in it for traction. It looked like it may be slippery if it rained. The next trail paved with large dark gravel and later it turned to dirt. We had nice sunny (hot, humid) weather in November.
We spoke to another couple who did the hike in pouring rain. They said they really had to pay attention to how they walked to prevent slipping. When they got to the summit, the view was covered in clouds but they found it fun since it was like standing inside a cloud you are up so high. Coming back down, the lady fell and broke her hand. There was an emergency facility near by, but it did not seem to be up to the same standards as mainland U.S. We also had someone fall on our tour, so be careful!
Tips: Bring a bottle of water and put sunscreen and mosquito spray on before you start. I did not need a hat due to the shade from the trees. Wear comfortable shoes with good traction. A lightweight, moisture wicking shirt would be helpful. It may be a little cooler when you start at the bottom of the trail. If it is going to rain, a good raincoat would be helpful. There were no bathrooms along the trails or where we parked along the road.
To people who don't exercise too often (for those of you who do or are just in better shape than me, ignore the following):
As far as "fitness" needed to do the hike, I normally do not exercise (long work days and commute) but I am able to walk several miles when needed like 18,000 steps in a day. I really don't like hills - horizontal in a beach lounge chair is more my speed. We had walked around Old San Juan and its hills for 4 days about 8 hours a day, so I was feeling in pretty good shape. I was totally exhausted getting to the top. I was with a tour group led by a 20-something year old hiker, so I had to keep up with the group's pace; I would have made a lot more and longer rest stops if it were just my husband and I. At the top, there are several big rocks to climb to see the view. My legs were so tired, I was afraid they would give out and I would fall off the rocks, so I stayed on the lower of the rocks. Coming back was easier, although the incline coming down could be rather steep if you are prone to your shins hurting. I enjoyed the coming down the trail much more. When we got to the cement sidewalk area, I was watching were I stepped to avoid the smoother stones which could cause a slip.
That night, I was exhausted and didn't have much energy to eat dinner. My thighs rock hard and hurt and were tight for about 6 days afterwards with the first two days the worst. The longer hike on El Yunque is do-able but the shorter Mt. Britton would be easier. My super athletic husband didn't find it too hard, although he was tired that night and maybe a little sore the next day.
We spoke to another couple who did the hike in pouring rain. They said they really had to pay attention to how they walked to prevent slipping. When they got to the summit, the view was covered in clouds but they found it fun since it was like standing inside a cloud you are up so high. Coming back down, the lady fell and broke her hand. There was an emergency facility near by, but it did not seem to be up to the same standards as mainland U.S. We also had someone fall on our tour, so be careful!
Tips: Bring a bottle of water and put sunscreen and mosquito spray on before you start. I did not need a hat due to the shade from the trees. Wear comfortable shoes with good traction. A lightweight, moisture wicking shirt would be helpful. It may be a little cooler when you start at the bottom of the trail. If it is going to rain, a good raincoat would be helpful. There were no bathrooms along the trails or where we parked along the road.
To people who don't exercise too often (for those of you who do or are just in better shape than me, ignore the following):
As far as "fitness" needed to do the hike, I normally do not exercise (long work days and commute) but I am able to walk several miles when needed like 18,000 steps in a day. I really don't like hills - horizontal in a beach lounge chair is more my speed. We had walked around Old San Juan and its hills for 4 days about 8 hours a day, so I was feeling in pretty good shape. I was totally exhausted getting to the top. I was with a tour group led by a 20-something year old hiker, so I had to keep up with the group's pace; I would have made a lot more and longer rest stops if it were just my husband and I. At the top, there are several big rocks to climb to see the view. My legs were so tired, I was afraid they would give out and I would fall off the rocks, so I stayed on the lower of the rocks. Coming back was easier, although the incline coming down could be rather steep if you are prone to your shins hurting. I enjoyed the coming down the trail much more. When we got to the cement sidewalk area, I was watching were I stepped to avoid the smoother stones which could cause a slip.
That night, I was exhausted and didn't have much energy to eat dinner. My thighs rock hard and hurt and were tight for about 6 days afterwards with the first two days the worst. The longer hike on El Yunque is do-able but the shorter Mt. Britton would be easier. My super athletic husband didn't find it too hard, although he was tired that night and maybe a little sore the next day.
Written December 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can you ride a 4 wheeler up to the peak or is it strictly walking?
Written July 8, 2017
I apologize for the late response, and although it has currently become difficult to travel to Puerto Rico under the current circumstance. I would assume that you would love to travel to this beautiful country in the near future. You can only hike once you enter the Yunke. Before your hike you can drive up the hill to park your car, although I'm not sure if other motor transportation is allowed other than a car.
Written October 18, 2017
I have 2 small kids a 6 year old and 2 year old is this a good place to take them?
Written June 27, 2017
In my opinion I feel a toddler would be really tired. I actually saw a family that had kids that were around 5 years old, and I remember hearing them say that they were tired, thirsty and hungry. The hike was about 45 minutes. You really have to be ready to walk a lot especially under the hot sun.
Written June 28, 2017
Where should we park our car to get on the shortest trail? we need to be at Fajardo by 6:30 pm, so we wanna make sure we see the Peak.
Written February 21, 2017
that def helps. Thank You.
Written February 23, 2017
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