The Salinas de Cabo Rojo, or salt flats, is an active salt-mining operation in Cabo Rojo. This operation is part of the 1800-acre National Wildlife Refuge, which is a mecca for bird-watching along the many walking and biking trails. And it’s right down the road from the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse.

The Guajataca Forest, in the karst region of Puerto Rico, has 25 miles of trails within its boundaries. Most people will only use 2 of these trails: the Interpretive Trail and the trail to the Cueva del Viento. Spend an hour or so exploring the Interpretive Trail and learn about what makes this part of the island unique.

Waterfalls are always beautiful, whether you pick the right day to go or not. Salto Curet in Maricao is another example of an off-the-beaten-path waterfall that is not easy to get to. Besides being about ½-hour drive along a small, twisty, turning mountain road, once you actually get to the river you have hike in and then walk up stream. But it is very pretty and worth the effort — if you have the time.

The Guánica State Forest & Bioshpere Reserve is a dry forest that receives only 30" of rain annually. It covers almost 1000 acres and is home to many endangered plants and wildlife. There are a number of hiking trails throughout the forest, and it is a bird-watcher’s paradise.

El Portal Rain Forest Center is the main visitor center in El Yunque National Forest. It features an elevated walkway through the tree tops, educational displays, a short interpretive walking trail, a deli/restaurant and a small gift shop. Though completely optional, the Forest Center is an informative stop for first-time visitors to El Yunque.

The Guajataca Forest in Isabela is in the karst region of Puerto Rico and the landscape and plant life is totally different than what we are used to seeing in the north-east of the island. The best part about this forest is exploring Cueva del Viento (Cave of the Wind).

The Carite Forest is located just up the road from the Guavate area in Cayey. The forest encompasses over 6000 acres and is maintained by the Departmento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales as a recreation area. The forest has some nice picnic and camping areas, some great natural swimming pools and waterfalls.

Whether you have just a couple of hours or a couple of days, there are plenty of things to keep you busy and entertained in the northeast part of Puerto Rico. From the rain forest to beaches to biobays, we’ve put together a list of activities sorted by the amount of time you need to do each.

What do you do once you’ve hiked on all of the official trails in El Yunque National Forest? You start looking for unofficial trails … which is exactly what we did. We found a new trail (currently under construction by the Forest Service) that leads from the north side of El Yunque down to the south side. Though it’s not for the casual hiker, it does provide some nice views and an exhilarating workout.

For reasons that I can’t figure out, of the trails right along Road 191 in El Yunque National Forest, La Coca Trail is seemingly unknown. It is as if someone found out how beautiful it is and decided to keep it a secret! But if you invest some time and effort in hiking this trail, you will be handsomely rewarded with rivers, waterfalls and swimming pools galore!