I'm extremely grateful that I got to see my first rain forest, and here are some general comments: Location: 4 out of 5 Not too far from San Juan proper. Our flight leaving SJU wasn't until a little after 4:30pm, and our vessel returned to Pan Am at around 8 that morning. By tour van/bus, it took about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the forest, and with traffic, maybe 1 hr - 1hr 15min to get back. Driving on that main stretch of road (PR-2?) is fine, but once you get to the windy roads leading up to the rain forest, it's slow going. Amenities: 4 out of 5 I think others have alluded to the fact that there's lots of facilities here in case you need a potty break, or snacks. I guess that makes sense because I saw a whole lot of tourists eating Doritos. No joke - groups of moms and their kids had large bags of family sized Doritos. Sights: 3 out of 5 The only complaint I have here is that there wasn't enough time to see everything, nor was there enough time to really hike. We made three stops: La Coca Falls, Yokahu Tower, and La Mina(?) trails, where we did some tiny little 20 - 25 minute loop. It's not that I didn't think that the falls were impressive - it's just that I've seen much better falls in a lot of places. Heck, Starved Rock State Park in the Chicago area has better falls. And it's not that I didn't enjoy the scenery when up at Yokahu Tower, because it WAS beautiful to see all the green, and the city in the background. It's just that once you've seen the leaves either in New England or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, everything else pales in comparison. And the hike...it can't be classified as a hike. I think it takes me longer to walk to and from work every day. It was more of a leisurely stroll on a well paved path where we stopped to oooh and ahhh at different things. Admittedly, there was a tree growing through another tree that was the highlight of my day. Oh yeah, and these huge snails too. But if you've ever done any of the hikes in any other national forest, or national park, or national lake shore (like the Chapel Rock loops at Picture Rocks National Lakeshore), you'll see that the hiking setup here is a little weak. But to their credit, since they only allow day hikers (no camping), the forest was actually quite clean. Physical Exertion: minimal. There were couples in their late 50's and early 60's on this excursion. I think one couple refrained from doing the hike. Honestly, it's like walking around the block at your house, except with more to see. There was a young lady in a different group wearing clothes meant for a night on the town (tight fitting dress, high heels, etc) and she was perfectly fine scampering up and down the path. Of course, I only did a very small portion of the trails, so this may be completely biased. Other reviewers indicate that there are more challenging trails, so please take this review with a grain of salt in that it was a shore excursion offered by a cruise line. Overall: 4 out of 5 Not the most exciting, or the most invigorating, nor did it cause any need to huff or puff, but it was a nice little break from the rest of San Juan, and a perfect way to kill about 4 - 5 hours before an afternoon flight back to the contiguous States. read more

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A must do in Puerto Rico, and a wonderfully natural treasure, how many times do you get to hike a rain forest in the US. There are options to do a tour or rent a car and drive up. If you're not use to driving on narrow windy streets take the tour. But if you can hack it rent a car for cheap and head up there. Get there earlier, to avoid lots of people, but if it's during July and August, it will be busy for be ready for that. You can easily spend the whole day there. No admissions needed either, it's FREE!! There are so many trails to hike and beautiful foliage to see. The waterfalls were the highlights for me, especially the La Mina Falls, bring your bathing suit and take a dip. If you aren't use to hiking beware, this trail can be long and very slippery, wear appropriate foot wear, no flip flops. And of course bring so bug spray you're in a rain forest! read more

Reviewing La Mina falls primarily - not the hike to the peak (which probably would have saved the day). You might be wondering why I'm giving this place 3 stars? It's because it's an overcrowded, tourist mess. Also - I'm a California native - so maybe I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to nature and have unrealistic expectations... so keep that in mind. A. First off, do not get ripped off and pay for a guide. It costs $4 to get into the main information center where you'll get a map. The gentleman that works at the desk will tell you where to go - boom - you just saved $140. DBAD. Don't Be A Dope. :) B. This is not some crazy, wild rainforest uninhibited and free... it's basically the real life version of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland. The entire walk down to La Mina waterfall is PAVED. I mean, come on. That does not count as a hike, although the way back uphill is a bit stair heavy. C. Again, tourists. We went before 11 am and I didn't really want to go in the water because there were 150+ people in there - and this is low season! Ick. D. If you do want to go in the water, flip flops and bare feet will be rough. It's all slippery, jagged rocks so you'll probably want more heavy duty grip shoes. Overall, I thought there were beautiful views and for $4 - that's fine - but I wouldn't return. I had way more fun at Cueva de la Ventana which was just as far from San Juan but a lot less crowded. read more

Relaxing place. The view is wonderful, there's parking if you get early. Great personal. The waterfall are amazing. You can observe a great diversity of flora and fauna. read more

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This place is just the best. La Mina Falls is fabulous. Seems like most of the other reviews covered this place very well so I'll be brief. The weather is humid, so prepare to sweat a little. Having said that, the trail to La Mina is very easy. If you have gone on hikes before, this will be a very easy one for you. I think it's less than a mile long one way. On the way, we were able to see some really cool snails and listen to the birds in the trees. The payoff:effort ratio for this trail is waaay high. We arrived at the falls and I was very happy. How often do you get to swim under a water fall? Be careful because the rocks here are very slippery. We took off our shoes and stripped down to our bathing suits, ready to face the falls. The water is icy cold compared to the beaches here, but not too cold to swim. Just grit your teeth and let your body get used to it. As you climb on the rocks into the falls, be really careful because you can't see the bottom of the water. I'm still not completely sure how deep the water is under the falls but I stayed close to the rocks. We saw a little kid stub slip on a rock, stub his toe and cry. This place is a great photo op! I wish we could've stayed and explored some of the other trails, but honestly, the weather was so hot and humid, I was kind of ready to get outta there. There aren't places to eat around here, so bring a snack because you will get hungry! And as other reviewers have mentioned, the roads here are narrow so drive carefully! Also, if you are planning on ziplining, call at least a day in advance! We called the morning of, and were not able to get a hold of anybody for the 9am or 2pm zipline tour. *sadness* Instead, we were able to spend a great afternoon at Luquillo beach so it made up for it, but if you intend on ziplining, know that you must plan ahead! read more

It was awesome! The views were so beautiful and the vibes are great. My instructor Ivan was very cheerful and informative about the rainforest. Mitchell the lifeguard made sure i was great especially because i cannot swim. I would absolutely come back again. read more

This place is amazing and beautiful. We went to PR from 2/27-3/5. We visited the rain forest 2 days before our departure. We had a car the whole time we stayed in PR and decided we can visit this place on our own, which was a great idea. You do not really need a tour as long as you have a car. You can leisurely drive up the place and make stops at every point of interest. Beautiful, magical and breathtaking. If you are in PR you should totally pay a visit. We did not get a chance to do all the hikes and just settled for an hour round trip hike which was amazing read more

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El Yunque is a national treasure. It is a rainforest, which is is preserved and managed by the U.S. National Park Service, a.k.a., those iconic brown and gold signs with Yogi. At the center of El Yunque is a 13 kilometer, narrow road, with ample parking spots near sites and destinations along the way. You can choose your level of difficulty in terrain or trail, park, and then hike away. I recommend arriving early before large tours arrive. Also, we drove out to kilometer 13 and worked our way down. This seemed to help us avoid the crowds of tourists. Even with our 13 month year old toddler, we easily managed a trail to waterfalls through the forest, as well as, a tower and beautiful overlooks. If you're visiting Puerto Rico, you'll be missing out if you skip El Yunque. read more

Stop at the visitor center for 4 dollars to see an intro movie on the area. Pickup a guide or brochure. Underwhelmed by the walk to the waterfalls. You can take the 40 minute walk each way or the shorter steeper 30 minute one. You drive through the rainforest and stop at a few areas to see the sites. There is a tower to climb up for the view. To really see the rainforest take a 1 or 2 hour each way walk. read more

I absolutely loved our visit to El Yunque. You definitely don't have enough time to do everything, not in one day. But if that's your goal, you'll need to get there for the opening time (as early as possible)! If you've got a few days in PR, I really recommend you visit this park. All you need is a car to get you to the park. El Yunque is part of the US National Park system and it's their own rain forest. It's absolutely amazing. We rented a car and drove to El Yunque from Condado area. I have to say driving is not easy on the highways because there is not enough signage for exits. However, it was one of our easier drives out of the city. Probably because there are numerous blog posts by people who frequent or visited El Yunque for it's various hiking trails. Once at the park we drove right past the visitor centre. It costs a few dollars, but really we already knew where to drive to and which trail we were interested in, so we didn't waste any time. It's interesting having to drive so far up a mountain, We wanted to do the Yunque trail, which is a 2 hour hike to the peak of the mountain. It was a moderate to challenging trail. Mostly it was just uphill for 2 straight hours in humid conditions. But the view was incredible. I've never climb to the top of a mountain before and it will always be one of my favourite parts of our time in PR. We encountered one other person while going up (she was coming down) and then no one until we had made it back to our parked vehicle. After that we decided to explore a different trail for a little bit, one that leads to a swimming/waterfall area (La Mina falls). We didn't make it to the falls, because we wanted to get home before dark, but I really wish we had more time to explore El Yunque further. I highly encourage you to visit this park, it's truly a beauty! read more

Awesome rainforest! After seeing it from afar for days, we finally went. We stopped at El Portal visitor's center. It's really worth the $4 per person to stop here. First of all, it's beautiful, structure wise.The helpful guy at the desk gave us info on what to do. We also saw the movie, which I HIGHLY recommend. It's only 15 or so minutes, and really gave us a solid foundation on El Yunque's history and the nature that is found there. There are also nice facilities here, such as a gift shop, snack stop, and bathrooms. Driving through you are going up, up up. It is well marked where you can stop and see things. La Coca Falls is right off the road and we stopped there and managed to get some good photos. Continuing on, there is a large tower, which you can go to the top of and get an awesome view from. It's only about 100 steps (not bad for this out of shape gal!) and the view is worth it! You can continue and do the La Mina trail, which takes you to the other waterfall. We didn't have time, but I wish we had! A must see in Puerto Rico! Watch the movie to see why! read more

1 Star for Forest Service and Staff! 10 Stars for the park.... The staff was terrible... We had to wait around to try to get on a tour and where ruddy blown off by the park staff. Most of the park is apparently off limits without private tours and getting the tours is not so simple unless you are a real tourist and are part of a bus tour. The rainforest is absolutely wonderful and I wish more trails were more open to normal public use on public lands. it is worth a visit, but it's greatness is severely hindered by what can only be explained as the rudeness I have never seen at another US National Park where staff is usually exceptionally great.... read more

Great free hiking. We did the easy trail to the waterfall. This is a clear and easy man made path to a waterfall that is generally very busy. We went on a Sunday and we went as early as possible (we were staying in vega Baja) and it was busy by 10am. We attempted the "very difficult" path to coca falls. It was definitely worth the hike. It wasn't too bad going down. Harder going up. Part of our group wanted to climb coca falls, so we watched from afar. Rocks to rest on. I would recommend both hikes. read more

Free!! I believe it only cost us $5 for parking but the rain forest is free to enter! Be sure to mind the park hours. They close the roadway gates and you would be stuck inside after closing. There's a visitor center with a very short educational trail near the front. Then you have to drive through to get to the waterfalls or actual hiking trails. Visitor center guy told us hiking trails take at least 2 hours so we didn't hike but we did drive through and stop for lots of photos! Waterfalls were beautiful and the tower was awesome - in the middle of the forest but can see the beach and ocean. Saw mostly lizards. I was scared about snakes but we didn't see any. They have signs that say the mongoose have rabies, just FYI. You won't see any parrots, as they are quite rare. Sorry :( If you want to see parrots, drive to the Science Park in Bayamon - Parque de las Ciencias. They have an awesome little zoo there. (Everything is in Spanish.) read more

El Yunque is gorgeous, fun, and an adventure. It's so easy to get here from San Juan, so highly recommended. It's a National Park of the US, so there's a well-run visitor center, easy parking, accurate signs, restrooms, etc. I went to Coca Falls, Mirador, and La Mina trail which with the waterfall. None were particularly strenous. We didn't take the longest hike (about 4 hours), but I have heard the views are spectacular as long as it isn't a cloudy day. The sights we did see are either well-accessible by car, and the trails are all well-demarcated paths/steps for you to follow. I wore running shoes, but I did see people hiking around in flip flops and even heels and they were doing fine! The waterfall at the end of La Mina trail is beautiful and a really good time to cool off and relax especially if it's a hot day outside. Make sure you bring your swimsuit/towels -- people love jumping in! The water is clear and clean, rocks can be a little slippery just FYI. Since it's in the middle of the rainforest, there are no places to safely put your bags/shoes/etc. so just use common sense, and don't bring valuables with you. I loved my visit to El Yunque, so glad to have visited! read more

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It's a nice rainforest (tagline: "the only rainforest in the United States!", natch), and walking though it for some reason reminded me of the treks through forests in Taiwan. Which I guess is a good thing. There are plenty of tours that offer expeditions through the rainforest--don't do it. It's easy enough to drive to (either from San Juan or the east coast), and admission is absolutely free. You can pay $3 to visit the Visitor's Center (pass) or $5 for a brief guided tour at the Palo Colorado Center (also pass). Upon entering, it's a windy drive upwards. You'll see the Visitor Center first, which is probably why so many people are suckered in. From what it sounds like, it may be a nice place to take the fam. If you're just interested in hiking, mosey on up. Next will be Coco Falls, which provides a great picture taking opportunity. Climb up the rocks are get next to the falls; it's a fun mini-experience. After that, you'll reach the Palo Colorado Center, where you can get a map of the surrounding trails. There's a trail that leads directly to La Mina Falls starting at the center. There are also trails that lead up to the peak; unfortunately, we arrived late and after completing the La Mina Falls trail, we felt it was too late to do any of the others. The rainforest itself is nice and amazingly green. The La Mina Falls trail is particularly nice as you're following a stream the whole way. There's plenty of greenery, but not much wildlife, at least along that trail. The trail is a little small but well maintained and easy enough for children. If you're looking for more of a challenge, I suggest the couple that make its way up to the top. A fantastic experience. We also made our way to Luquillo Beach and Kiosks after. Although it's mentioned as a touristy place, it was almost all locals. We sat down at this joint called La Parilla and split a $22 dish of pineapple rice. Pricey, but incredible taste. read more

Easiest way to hike this trail is by renting a car and driving the half-hour. You don't need a guide, since the trails are well-marked. I did the el yunque trail, which has some great views. About 3 hours total. The trailhead is literally across the street from the trailhead down the 1/2 mile to La Mina Falls, which is a good place to cool off. Trailhead is about KM 11.7 on 191. I didn't see any wildlife. read more

How have you not stopped here? You're reading a review for the only rainforest in the continental United States because I'm assuming you are looking for something to do? Stop reading these reviews and go out there. Ok, you want more content, fine. Here is what you can do to save yourself some extra money while there. The vistor center, while nice, and while you can pick up a "map", isn't needed. There is some nice info, and some exhibits, but if you skip the movie, you'll be in and out of the visitor center in about 25 minutes. And you'll save about $6 a person. Otherwise, you can skip the center, and drive up the mountain, and you'll see areas to park, and view, and hike, and there are plenty of maps to see there (like the trail ones at state parks). I guess the other upside is there are nice bathrooms at the visitor center, otherwise you are SOL for the of the time for nice bathrooms while at the rainforest read more

El Yunque is a must-see on your trip to PR. If you are adventurous like me, rent a car instead of relying on a tour bus/group :) It's a beautiful and mystical place, and definitely worth visiting. A few suggestions: - Go early - It's more fun to wander and explore, without having to worry about time limits. Only a few people were there on our trip, but I hear it gets crowded during peak travel/summer time. Also, the area officially closes at 6pm and gets dark quickly, so you probably dont want get caught walking up a trail in the dark. (Or maybe you do..... :). - Wear some old tennis shoes - Like a typical Californian, I ran out of my hotel in Rainbow flip flops, and for the most part I was ok. However, it would have been great to get in the water by the Mina waterfall with some shoes on because it's very rocky. Also, my flipflops were wet trying get back up the Mina trail and I kept slipping out of my shoes. So bring some sneakers. - Mina Falls - To rate the difficulty a scale of 1-5, I'd give it a 2 for the average person and a 1 for those who are physically fit. The sign said it would take us 40 min to get there, but we hiked it round trip in 40 min. The water is just gorgeous and refreshing to swim in. Definitely stop by here at some point on your rainforest exploration! - Stop by the visitor center - we didn't get to go this because they weren't open by the time we got there... but I'm sure it would have added to the experience. - If you are driving - The roads can be windy, and sometimes narrow. This is not the drive for a) your overly scared/cautious friend nor b) your lead-foot friend. It's easy to get around, but be careful and keep in mind the roads can be wet.... rainforest... duh. - Pictures - Take a lot of them!! Also, you might want to bring your camera in a zip lock bag. We got rained on a few times (it was brief) but that TSA zip lock bag saved my Cannon!!! read more

Gorgeous! Although this is a rainforest, we didn't actually see any rain during our visit; I guess we were lucky. We did the semi-moderate/lazy route: (1) drive to La Coca Falls and jump out of the car to take a multitude of pictures from the road, dodging light traffice. (2) Drive to Yakahu Tower and climb it for an awesome view of the entire valley and surrounding mountains. (3) Drive to Big Tree Trail & hike out to La Mina Falls. Verdict: La Coca Falls - Pretty waterfall. Easy to get to, since it's viewable from the road. Yokahu Tower - Gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding forest and the beach (way) out in the distance. If you've got good binoculars, you may be able to make out individual buildings. La Mina Falls - According to the guide, the trail south of the falls was supposed to be the "easier" hike. I should've known better when he said it's about a 1hr15min hike round-trip. Wow, it was quite a hike to get to the point; not an excrutiating death-march, but definitely much more than a stroll in the park. It was nice to have a bottle of water for the two of us, and some granola bars for the way back. The waterfall, though, was marvelous. You can definitely see/hear/feel the power of the water. It's not terribly cold, so you can go take a dip in the waters if you please. All in all, a definitely fine excursion. I didn't give this 5 stars because although this is a rainforst, it feels somewhat manufactured, with the concrete-paved walkways and "shelters" every so often. On top of that, we didn't actually spot any of the native wildlife (we tried). Perhaps if we had time to go further up the mountain, though... read more

One of the must do things in Puerto Rico. I've never been to a rain forest. Expect rain and forest. Yes there probably will be a little of both. Didn't do as much hiking as most people but it was still beautiful. read more

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Had a blast!!!!!!! You must visit when your in PR cause not only its s great workout but you having fun while doing it. ......everything about it this place will challenge your strength and mind so happy I came and we did it!!!! See you next time el yunque read more

El Yunque Rainforest - Hiking Near Me - Luquillo, Puerto Rico

La Mina Falls was the perfect place for a once in a lifetime swim! We make youtube videos and we really wanted some shots of the falls without tons of tourists. We went right at closing time (6pm) and had the falls all to ourselves! Mind you, this is a 30 minute hike so if you start the hike around 5pm you'll have time to hike there, swim, and hike back before dark. The trail is narrow and moderately strenuous. You don't need a tour guide, just drive to the trail head and start. You can't get lost :) If you want to see our video of the falls go to Youtube: DeathByVlog read more

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My wife & I went here on one of our first vacations together. A few years later, we got married here...at the Palo Colorado portion of the trail, overlooking the pond and bridge...by a lesbian, atheist, humanist pastor. And it didn't rain one drop during the whole ceremony. (Though I did almost get hit in the head by a falling coconut). El Yunque is gorgeous. I can't recommend it enough. There are plenty of tourist traps in Puerto Rico...places that aren't worth the time, the wait, the cost, the hype, etc...but El Yunque is always my number one destination when I visit the island. read more

Highly disappointing for someone who has seen several of the beautiful national parks/forests in the U.S. Positives Easy to get to Small Very lush and green Easy day hikes Hiking paths are marked Negatives Overcrowded Not what I expected of a tropical rainforest Did not see any wildlife, not even a single lizard La Mina Falls was packed with people, no photo op Vertically no time alone to enjoy settings as large groups are always around Small Overall, I just want not impressed. Maybe I have unrealistic expectations after having watched Planet Earth a million times (I'm a teacher), but if you don't see it....you aren't missing out at all. read more

Seems kinda odd that something so organic would have a place on Yelp. But once you get to El Yunque you will see it's not so much organic, well not anymore. There are way up in the forest snack shops etc. look- it's still beautiful. The most beautiful flowers are the visitor center, but you will still find lots of interesting vegetation in the rainforest. There are some great trails, but make sure you keep track of how you got to where you are- the trails do split at certain points. You can pull off the side of the road and look out over the trees and land below. You will be up in the clouds and that's a pretty cool view. It was the highlight of my trip to Puerto Rico. Just don't expect it to be like the Amazon rainforest and you will enjoy yourself. Oh and watch out for mosquitoes! read more

El Yunque Rainforest - Hiking Near Me - Luquillo, Puerto Rico

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Definitely my favorite national park... Overall a must see when in the area. Many different hiking trails and falls to swim in. It's a rainforest....so prepare for a wet damp area, of course!!! There's a tower you can walk up to see the stunning views of the beach and other islands of the Caribbean. Not many areas for souvenirs except small stands near the restrooms. Also bring your own lunch...tour packages are expensive at hotels...so if you can rent a car and hike on your own...follow the la Mina trail to the falls...about 45 mins each way. You can also climb coco falls for cool photo ops :) read more

This rain forest is beautiful with its trees and birds. There are several waterfalls that are fun to hike to and swim in, but be warned that there are tourists everywhere! If you want a real adventure, Google "El Yunque natural water slides" and go to the entry about a man named Carlos. Go there and enjoy a BETTER El Yunque experience that will give you the same beauty of the rain forest, but all to yourself. read more

Just a short drive from the bustling city of San Juan is El Yunque, a quiet rainforest sanctuary. We rented a car to get out there and the drive was easy. We brought our GPS from home and it helped. We checked out the visitor center to grab a map. The usual cost is $3 but because it was Veteran's Day weekend, entrance was free. We hiked La Mina trail to see the waterfall. Unfortunately for us, the trail was quite busy with other visitors and the falls were completely mobbed. Our fault for getting a late start to our day. The path to the waterfall is narrow and the rocks can be quite slippery. I recommend wearing runners with good treads or at the very least sport sandals with a good grip. The hike to the waterfall takes about 30 min. from the road and then another 30 min. to get back up. Note there are 2 trails to reach the falls - Big Tree and La Mina. Be certain to take the same trail back otherwise you will not end up at the same place you parked the car. Our way out of the park, we stopped to see Yokahu Tower and La Coca falls. There is parking, washrooms and picnic areas at the start of each trail. We saw 1-2 restaurants but we bought our own water, snacks and lunch. A great day out of the city for fresh air and exercise. read more

We did the Yunque/Biobay tour with Bespoke Lifestyle Management and had a blast! Im glad we weren't driving because driving and finding parking seemed like it can be tough. We skipped la Coca Falls since there was no parking so did the hike to La Mina Falls and went to another one instead since we wanted get in the water, I think it was called Juan Diego Falls? La Mina was nice and crowded. Juan Diego was definitely more secluded and the trail was definitely tougher, not like The Mina. Definitely recommended! read more

We had a last minute stopover in Puerto Rico, and decided to do a quick excursion to El Yunque Rainforest. Depending on who you book your excursion with, it will be about $50-60 for about a 3-4 hour trip. Since San Juan was dirty and ghetto, doing the excursion to the rainforest was a must. The tour guide showed us the most important stuff including the obligatory waterfall stop where people can do their photos etc. And another area for picnic stuff and a small trail where we did some hiking. It was a very easy hike that most people can do. It was really cool to see an actual rainforest, and you know you're in a rainforest because it would rain on and off during our visit there. There were a lot of different species of plants and vegetation that I've never even heard of and the abundance of fruits and plantation are everywhere. If you are bored in San Juan, then I recommend going up to El Yunque via a tour guide; it's about an hour drive, but you'll get to experience nature and its beauty. read more

this is one of the highlights of puerto rico. driving these mountainous roads can be challenging for a first timer, just be careful on the MANY curbed roads. Slow down! Mornings before 9am is much less congested. I suggest you get to la mina falls before 9am to enjoy some silence and take in a more naturalistic experience. The water is COLD! around 9am people start pouring in. the trails are fun and many can be very long. The yunque trail is one long trail with some heavy altitude climbing. for any trails that you choose to do it's best to get to the top early, before or around noon. Soon after that, clouds set it and your views virtually disappear, which sucks bc you make that treacherous hike up the trails mainly for those high top views. read more

More awesome nature! If you are a tourist and are driving from San Juan, make sure your rental car is small and has strength because the mountains you will be driving up are fierce AND parking is limited for the places you would like to see (and the park loves to ticket, so be careful where you park). Don't do a tour- just rent a car and drive here. Entrance into El Yunque is free. Don't stop at the tourist center. Find my favorite waterfall La Mina because it is fantastic. Bring a bathing suit- you can swim where La Mina falls. There are also other smaller rivers that you can swim in as well. Take your time to walk around- but get there early because it's a tourist destination. News flash! It's a rain forrest, therefore it will rain at some point in your journey. Be prepared. You can find places to camp over night if you are daring. Come early to see really cool birds and catch a view of the beach before the clouds roll in. Also, please take your trash with you. Don't litter. The animals do not like it. read more

Sure we went to the Visitor's Center. Sure the movie was a tab bit corny and touristy (the sun, rocks, water..... EL YUNQUE!), but we are tourists afterall. The waterfalls are worth the trip down the slippery path and you will get wet, but it is a rain forest. You know, the web site is correct, this is the only "Tropical Rain Forest" in the US National Forest System, but the US Park Service has a number of parks (not forests) that are classified as "tropical rain forest" including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I think most people don't distingush between the two agencies, but National Forests have management objectives that include commerical production of critical raw materials. Which is quite different from a National Park. read more

It is a rain forest. Fun fact only rain forest in the US. It has many unique, natural water slides. It will be clear on second, then pour the next. read more

Loved hiking! Tips: bring poncho, change of clothes/socks and towels! It poured on us. Still had a great time! Don't go into the portal at the beginning.... Charge $4 per person and it's just an info booth. Really nothing to see or do. Fun day of hiking! read more

Sooo beautiful! As crazy as it sounds, the rain added an extra element of mystique! The waterfalls were gorgeous and the views unbelievable! We drove through in our own vehicle and I am glad we did. As long as you stay on the main road, you will not get lost. We did not do any of the trails but made several stops, including at the tower and to play in one of the waterfalls. I definitely recommend to go on your own and rent a car/Jeep if possible! Recommendation: Travel in your own car, take sandals and clothes that can get wet! read more

Besides Hawaii this is one of the most beautiful rain forest I've seen for just two dollars for seniors you can explore the trails the whole day beautiful sites at every turn and lots of parking . However take precaution as I'm sitting here writing this review there was a lady that broke her ankle just ahead of me . There's coffee trees orchids hundreds of different palms ginger plants it's well worth spending the day here looking at all the beautiful waterfalls and natural floral read more

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This was a beautiful experience. The Hike was about a mile long (30 minutes each way).. But to see that water fall, it was so worth it... We didn't run across any forms of life other then huge snails. This is a definite must if you visit Rio Grande read more

You must go to the rainforest. I was excited for this excursion, but I was also nervous. I'm not an avid hiker, I have a fear of heights, and mosquitoes think I'm their Hometown Buffet. Well, I took the Big Tree Trail to the waterfall, and it was absolutely worth it. Walking to the waterfall took effort, and it felt rather long, but it is doable. Bring water shoes to wade in the water because the rocks are slippery. Make sure to spray yourself down with insect repellant. I had NO BITES, which surprised and thrilled me. Go on a weekday and in the morning or afternoon. I went on a Thursday afternoon, and it was crowded but not in an overwhelming way. read more

El Yunque Rainforest - It is amazing. You won't regret going. Buy water shoes so you can wade in the water; cheap water shoes are available for $10 online - Hiking Near Me - Luquillo, Puerto Rico

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