El Yunque National Forest was wracked by hurricanes Irma and Maria, but cleanup crews and local volunteers have helped re-open parts of the nation’s only tropical rain forest to visitors. El Yunque is known for its biodiversity with thousands of species of native plants, topographic prominence (the highest point rises to 3,533 feet), and staggering levels of rainfall—higher elevations receive more than 200 inches per year, which feed El Yunque’s incredible waterfalls (La Mina and Coca are especially scenic), the Juan Diego ponds, and Humacao Lagoons. The source of all that rain—the atmospheric clouds that encircle El Yunque Peak—often add a misty, otherworldly quality to the rain forest. Yokahu Tower, named for a god of the indigenous Taino people, offers sweeping panoramic views of Puerto Rico from 1,575 feet. The forest is one of the crown jewels of the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico’s most beloved natural attraction.
