Natural Wonder · San Juan, Puerto Rico
El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque National Forest, most commonly known as El Yunque, is a tropical rainforest with cultural, historical, ecological, scientific, and recreational features in the Sierra de Luquillo mountain subrange in the northeast of the main island of Puerto Rico, managed by the United States Forest Service since 1903. Built 1903.
Photo: Šarūnas Burdulis via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Built | 1903 |
| Area | Area: 115.4 km² |
| Coordinates | 18.3167° N, 65.7833° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What El Yunque National Forest is known for
El Yunque National Forest, most commonly known as El Yunque, is a tropical rainforest with cultural, historical, ecological, scientific, and recreational features in the Sierra de Luquillo mountain subrange in the northeast of the main island of Puerto Rico, managed by the United States Forest Service since 1903.
About El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque National Forest, most commonly known as El Yunque, is a tropical rainforest with cultural, historical, ecological, scientific, and recreational features in the Sierra de Luquillo mountain subrange in the northeast of the main island of Puerto Rico, managed by the United States Forest Service since 1903. Situated immediately outside the urban core of the San Juan metro area, within 40 km (25 mi) east of the Old San Juan historic quarter, Condado and Isla Verde resort areas, Hato Rey business center, and SJU airport, the forest is mostly concentrated in the municipalities of Río Grande, Luquillo, and Naguabo. In addition to being the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest System, it is the easternmost, southernmost, wettest, and most biodiverse national forest in the United States.
History
The area of the El Yunque National Forest has been notable since the pre-Columbian era. The forest region was formally set aside in 1876 by King Alfonso XII of Spain to preserve the soil and water resources and regulate the timber industry in the region. President Theodore Roosevelt set aside the previous Crown Lands of the El Yunque area, and the Luquillo Forest Reserve was established on January 17, 1903, by the United States General Land Office with 266.9 square kilometers (65,950 acres). It became a National Forest in 1906 and was renamed the Caribbean National Forest on June 4, 1935.
Planning a visit? Visit the official El Yunque National Forest website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | San Juan |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) |
| Distance from the airport | 16.7 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) · San Juan, Puerto Rico · 16.6 miles away
- Cyril E. King Airport (STT) · Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands · 52.9 miles away
- Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (EIS) · Beef Island, British Virgin Islands · 81.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Puerto Rico
More natural wonders
Frequently asked questions
What is El Yunque National Forest?
El Yunque National Forest, most commonly known as El Yunque, is a tropical rainforest with cultural, historical, ecological, scientific, and recreational features in the Sierra de Luquillo mountain subrange in the northeast of the main island of Puerto Rico, managed by the United States Forest Service since 1903.
Where is El Yunque National Forest located?
El Yunque National Forest is in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its coordinates are 18.3167° N, 65.7833° W.
How do I get to El Yunque National Forest?
The nearest town is San Juan, and the nearest airport is Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), about 16.7 miles away (straight line).
When was El Yunque National Forest built?
El Yunque National Forest was built 1903.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Yunque_National_Forest — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2375961 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/elyunque — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.