San Juan Hiking

Hiking in San Juan

San Juan may be better known for its beaches and cultural history, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other places that people can visit when they come to see San Juan. Because even though much of the promotional tourism stresses the beautiful and historical Old San Juan or the beach resorts of Condado, there is also much to be seen and be fascinated within the context of San Juan's surrounding ecosystem, the environments that exist in and close to this Puerto Rican territory. Case in point would be the fact that one the most popular things to do in San Juan is hiking – particularly, going on an eco-tour and hiking through the heights and forests of El Yunque National Park.

El Yunque National Park, whose name is derived from “Yuquiye” or “Forest of Clouds”, is about forty-five minutes from San Juan proper. It is technically the only tropical rain forest that is included in United States territory, and has over two hundred and forty species of flora and fauna co-existing in its area. El Yunque National Park also features along its trails, apart from the countless plants and animals, breathtaking natural wonders like waterfalls, tropical clearings, and streams. Hiking through these very trails could be quite an adventure – there are so many things to see, feel, hear and smell in El Yunque. You can just keep walking on the trail, or stop and take a dip in the waters near the waterfalls.

There are, of course, other places to hike in territories associated with San Juan, such as Guajataca Forest (also associated with Isabella and Aguadilla). The Guajataka Forest is seen as the largest hiking trail in Puerto Rico, and is also home for a myriad of plants and animals. While hiking in El Yunque is generally reserved for leisurely group tours – which means that the trails are fairly easy to traverse, you have the option of really roughing it in Guajataca. The difficult trail option of Guajataca is actually a long hike through the unique natural wonders of the area, into caves and an observation tower.

Both hiking options when in San Juan are wonderful ways to acquaint one's self to another side of the territory, and would be interesting additions to a vacationer's itinerary. You have to be aware, however, that these guided hikes usually take about half a day or a whole day, depending on the package you have paid for. Nevertheless, hiking in San Juan can be the best experience of your life.