Exploring Archives - Page 3 of 6

La Coca Waterfall – El Yunque

02/11/201212/07/2013GoSeePR

La Coca Waterfall is the first major point of interest that you will come across in El Yunque National Forest. It can be seen on our map below, but you will see it on the west, right, side of PR 191 as you head up the mountain. La Coca Waterfall is at kilometer 8.1, but the only way you will miss it is if you are driving with your eyes closed.

La Coca is the most easily accessed large waterfall in all of El Yunque National Forest. For that reason it is also a very popular destination and thus has two designated parking areas. The north and south parking areas can be seen both on our map and in the pictures below.

As for the waterfall itself, it is breathtaking due to it’s size and how smooth the rock formation appears. There will be plenty of people there taking pictures and enjoying the view, especially on weekends. This is probably the best place to start off your El Yunque adventure.

From La Coca Waterfall you will head up the mountain to a number of great destinations, but none of them will offer a view like this with such little effort with the exception of Yokahu Tower.

*A note from the National Forest Website is that you should close windows, lock doors, and place valuables in your trunk.

GPS Coordinates : 18.318769, -65.771252

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Juan Diego Waterfall – El Yunque

02/11/201211/30/2014GoSeePR

Juan Diego Waterfall is actually a pair of small waterfalls. It is located just a short distance (less than a km) up the mountain from Yokahu Tower. You will see these waterfalls on the west side, right side, of PR 191 as you are ascending towards Big Tree Trail. They are located on the apex of a blind turn.

Along with the fact that Juan Diego Waterfall is located on a blind turn, there’s also no designated parking area so you should be careful. You can see from our pictures below that people just park off the side of the road.

The pair of waterfalls that make up Juan Diego Waterfall are not nearly as large as La Mina Waterfall or La Coca Waterfall, but still make for a great picture opportunity.

Please feel free to use the map below to get a better idea of the exact location of Juan Diego Waterfall in reference to other points of interest.

*A note from the National Forest Website is that you should close windows, lock doors, and place valuables in your trunk.

GPS Coordinates : 18.311874, -65.776952[map id=”map1″ maptype=”HYBRID” kmlautofit=”no” z=”18″ lat=”18.311874″ lon=”-65.776952″ w=”100%” h=”500″ kml=”http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&authuser=0&msa=0&output=kml&msid=213151941635600966439.0004b893c0c0eec9d2e5c”]
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Juan Diego Falls San Sebastian Puerto Rico

El Portal Tropical Forest Center – El Yunque

02/11/201212/07/2013GoSeePR

As you enter El Yunque National Forest on PR 191 you will see El Portal Tropical Forest Center on your right hand side. Stopping there is not mandatory, but will offer you a good insight to El Yunque National Forest from all aspects of wildlife and plants. It will also give you a good layout of the National Forest.

The El Portal Tropical Forest Center acts as the complete learning and information center for the Rain Forest. You will also find a learning theatre, gift shop, and food area at the Center. This learning facility is run by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

It is important to know that the El Portal Tropical Forest Center does have an entrance fee. The fee is $4 for adults and $2 for seniors over 65 years old. There is NO fee for children under 15 years of age, or for educational groups. The Center is open every day except for Christmas. It’s hours of operation are 9 AM until 4:30 PM.

GPS Coordinates : 18.339485, -65.761998

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Caimitillo Trail – El Yunque

02/10/201212/07/2013GoSeePR

Caimitillo Trail is a short hiking trail off of PR 191 with a great Picnic Area on the trail. The Caimitillo Trailhead can be seen on our map and in our pictures below. It is located just up the mountain from the Sierra Palm Picnic Area.

There is a small parking area just across from the trailhead that only fits a couple vehicles so you might need to park at the Palo Colorado or Sierra Palm Parking lots. If you park at the Palo Colorado Parking Lot you can either hike back down the mountain on the main road or better yet access the El Yunque Trail on the west side of PR 191 (across from Palo Colorado) and hike to where the Caimitillo Trail intersects.

The Caimitillo Trail is the shortest and easiest of all the trails in El Yunque National Forest. Features in addition to the picnic area include; flowers, ferns, bamboo and numerous trees.

*One other note from the National Forest Website is that you should close windows, lock doors, and place valuables in your trunk.

GPS Coordinates : 18.302658, -65.783595

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El Ultimo Brinco, or Last Jump Waterfall – Rincon

12/10/201111/22/2014GoSeePR

El Ultimo Brinco Waterfall, also known as the Last Jump Waterfall is a great waterfall and swimming hole to visit if you are in the Rincon area. It may not have all the fun features like Gozalandia in San Sebastian, but it’s location makes for an easier and faster trip if you are in Rincon and pressed for time.

Aside from location, the best part of El Ultimo Brinco is how it transports you from the middle of a residential area into what feels like a secluded oasis. The sensation of an Oasis is based mainly on the crystal clear water you can swim in and the steep rock walls that surround the swimming hole and waterfall. Admittedly and sadly there is a fair amount of refuse that has been left behind by previous visitors.

El Ultimo Brinco has one other characteristic that was left behind by previous visitors, but this one is a cool one, stone carvings! Even though they are not ancient Indian carvings, they still are quite interesting to see. They are located right around the waterfall and you can get a good view of these in our pictures below.

Enjoy your time at El Ultimo Brinco and please keep it beautiful for the next person.

Finding El Ultimo Brinco: (Please feel free to use our map below, which you can also save to google maps on your smartphone) Once you find your way to PR 411 you are almost there, but this is where it gets a bit difficult. We marked the location on the map where you turn off of PR 411, which is a narrow dirt road that has a moderately steep decent in and then accent on the way out. We have seen small rental cars down there, but you might want to park on the side of the road and hike down if you are concerned. The hike would be less than half a mile from the road down to the waterfall. We also have pictures below of the dirt road junction with 411 so you have an idea of what to look for. You can also pass this dirt road and take the next right, but this will put you at the top side of the waterfall, which doesn’t have the swimming hole or the view that you will find down below.

Video of El Ultimo Brinco:

Images of El Ultimo Brinco:

El Ultimo Brinco GPS Coordinates:
18.316753, -67.216891[map id=”map1″ maptype=”HYBRID” kmlautofit=”no” z=”17″ lat=”18.316753″ lon=”-67.216891″ w=”100%” h=”500″ kml=”http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&authuser=0&msa=0&output=kml&msid=213151941635600966439.0004b23486dc181b885c3″]
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