Juan Diego Falls

Location: Río Grande

Getting there: Drive a little under an hour from San Juan to get to the entrance of El Yunque National Forest. Having your own car is ideal, but you can also book a tour. Reservations used to be required to enter this area of the forest, but that is no longer the case. They only let in 200 cars at a time, so getting there early is a good idea. Like all trails in the El Yunque recreation corridor, the trails are well-marked. You’ll see the trailhead on your right. You can park on the side of the road if there’s room, or in a small parking lot that fits five or so cars further back the way you came.

General Info: The first hike you’ll encounter in El Yunque is Juan Diego Falls. It’s more of a walk than a hike. It only takes a minute or two to get to the first waterfall, then another 3-5 minutes to get to the next one. Both waterfalls are worth seeing. I think the second waterfall is more pretty. You can get in the water at either, though it is very cold. This spot is nearly always busy because of its easy accessibility. 

Heads up: The hike to the second waterfall is quite steep at first and can be slippery when wet. There is a decently steep descent to get down to the waterfall. Some may want to stay at the more easily accessible first waterfall. Birders can bring binoculars to see the Puerto Rican Nightjar nesting on the rock face next to the waterfall.