El Yunque National Forest: Puerto Rico
This US island has 28,000 acres of pristine woodlands east of San Juan. It’s a biodiversity hub and happens to be the only tropical forest in our country’s National Forest System.
It spreads over the stream-braided Luquillo Mountains flanks, and the orchid-decked rainforest is a sanctuary for many beautiful local creatures, including the endangered Puerto Rican parrot.
But beyond the myriad of flora and fauna, these woodlands are trickled with peaks that give visitors picturesque views, including the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
For an authentic taste of the woodland’s 24-mile trail system, start at La Mina Trail, paralleling the La Mina River, and end at La Mina Falls. This 35ft waterfall gloriously spills into a remote swimming hole.
Expert hikers can take a longer trek on the El Toro Wilderness Trail which winds through the forest’s 10,000-acre wilderness area to the summit of 3,542ft El Toro, the highest peak in the Luquillo Mountains.
