Parks & Nature

For an island you can cross in a few hours, Puerto Rico packs in a remarkable range of landscapes. In the east, El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest system. The southwest has the Guánica dry forest, cactus scrub that gets a fraction of El Yunque's rain. Between them runs the Cordillera Central, with state forests such as Toro Negro and Maricao, and across the north lies the karst country of sinkholes, caves and haystack hills, home to the Camuy caves and Cueva Ventana.

Most state forests and reserves are managed by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA), and some, like Las Cabezas de San Juan in Fajardo, only take visitors on guided tours booked in advance. Hurricanes and landslides close trails and roads from time to time, so check the current status before a long drive.

The guides below cover forests, nature reserves, botanical gardens and the town plazas that serve as Puerto Rico's everyday parks.