Cerro de Punta or just Cerro Punta is the highest
peak Peak or The Peak may refer to:
Basic meanings Geology
* Mountain peak
** Pyramidal peak, a mountaintop that has been sculpted by erosion to form a point Mathematics
* Peak hour or rush hour, in traffic congestion
* Peak (geometry), an (''n''-3)-di ...
in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, rising to above sea level.
[As of February, 1981, the ]US Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, an ...
reports the height as 1,328 meters. (See
''Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results.''
United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.) However, Gousha (1995) and Metrodata (1998) report the height as 1,338 meters. (See
Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico en Bayamon. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Matematicas. Retrieved 22 August 2013.) The
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
is part of the
Cordillera Central and is located in the municipality of
Ponce.
[
]
Location
The mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
is part of the Cordillera Central and is located on the border between the municipalities of Jayuya
Jayuya (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the mountainous center region of the island, north of Ponce; east of Utuado; and west of Ciales. Jayuya is spread over 10 barrios and Jayuya Pueblo (the downtown and administra ...
and Ponce.[ The access road to the point closest to the highest elevation is from the municipality of Jayuya. It is part of the Toro Negro Forest Reserve, and it has been described as "an alpine runt."][ It is located on the western end of the Toro Negro State Park. The mountain is just north of east-to-westbound Route 143. It is located at coordinates 18.172458 and -66.591839W. The nearest populated place to Cerro de Punta is ''Urbanización Vega Linda'', located 3.3 miles (5.3 km) away.
]
Geology
Unlike many Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
mountains, Cerro de Punta is not a volcano
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates are ...
but simply the highest point in the Cordillera Central. Cordillera Central is the central mountain range that divides the island by running in an east-west fashion.[
]
Best view
The view from atop Cerro de Punta is said to be "the best view in all of Puerto Rico". On a clear day, it is possible to see virtually the entire island, including as far as San Juan, which is over 75 miles (120 km) away.[ There are a number of radio and television transmission and re-transmission towers just off the top of the mountain.][Brandon Stephens, Marion Smith, and Alan Cressler. ''Cerro de Punta.'' Published by Brian Killingbeck. ©2005.](_blank)
There is an observation platform at the top of the mountain.
Wildlife and flora
The mountain is home to an abundant amount of wildlife, lush vegetation, flowering shrubs and trees, and numerous waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...
s. The mountain is covered by Sierra palm trees. Various plants, including some endangered species are found here, such as the endangered fern
A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...
''Elaphoglossum serpens
''Elaphoglossum serpens'' is a rare species of fern that grows only on Cerro de Punta, the highest mountain in Puerto Rico. The fern grows at one location, where there are 22 known specimens. It was federally listed as an endangered species of th ...
'' which is found only on this mountain and nowhere else in the world,[USFWS]
Recovery Plan for Puerto Rican Endangered Ferns (7 spp.).
January 1995. and Cook's holly (''Ilex cookii
''Ilex cookii'' (Cook's holly or ''te'') is a species of plant in the family Aquifoliaceae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Conservation
This tree ...
'') or ''planta de te'', which is only found here and in neighboring Mount Jayuya.
Nearby roads
The area consists of many steep mountains. The nearest road is PR-143
Puerto Rico Highway 143 (PR-143) is a secondary highway that connects the town of Adjuntas to the town of Barranquitas.
Route description
Heading east from Adjuntas, PR-143 runs through the northern border of the municipality of Ponce, before ...
, which is a winding two-lane mountain road that must be travelled very slowly as it is not possible to see traffic coming from the opposite direction for any significant length. Off Route 143 is the road that actually leads to the mountain's top. Route 143 can be accessed via the better-traveled Route 10. Route 143 is part of the Ruta Panorámica
The ''Ruta Panorámica'' (Scenic Route), officially the ''Ruta Panorámica Luis Muñoz Marín'' (Luis Muñoz Marín Scenic Route), is a network of some 40 secondary roads which traverse the island of Puerto Rico from west to east along its '' Co ...
.
For your safety, driving in Puerto Rico sign.jpg, Driving in mountain roads tips
View of roadway that leads up to Cerro de Punta.jpg, View of roadway from Cerro de Punta
Hiking and access trail
A nearby inn called Hacienda Gripiñas
Hacienda Gripiñas is a lodging located in the town of Jayuya, Puerto Rico.
In 1858, Don Eusebio Pérez del Castillo established the Gripiñas hacienda (or estate) in the Gripiñas sector, Veguitas barrio of Jayuya municipio, Puerto Rico. Haci ...
, has a trail that leads to the top of the mountain. Hacienda Gripiñas was a coffee plantation, but has been turned into a country inn. In 2010 it still growed some coffee. The inn operates under a contract with the Government of Puerto Rico. The trails, however, are not well marked and often suffer damage from storms.[Archived.]
/ref> While people can hike their way to the top of the mountain, there is a paved road that leads to the very summit. The Toro Negro State Forest
Toro Negro State Forest (Spanish: ''Bosque Estatal de Toro Negro'') is one of the 21 forests that make up the public forests system in Puerto Rico. It is also Puerto Rico's highest cloud forest. It is in the Cordillera Central region of the is ...
has 12 miles (19 km) of hiking trails some of which lead to the top of Cerro de Punta.
Gallery
View from Cerro de Punta, highest point in Puerto Rico.jpg, View from Cerro de Punta, highest point in Puerto Rico
Paved road for climbing up to Cerro de Punta, Puerto Rico.jpg, Paved road for climbing up to Cerro de Punta
Cerro de Punta plateau.jpg, Antennas at Cerro de Punta
Cerro de Punta, highest point in Puerto Rico.jpg, Lookout area at Cerro de Punta's summit
Cerro de Punta as seen from Mercedita Airport, Ponce, Puerto Rico (DSC02952).jpg, Cerro de Punta as seen from Mercedita Airport
Mercedita International Airport (AIM, ''Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita'') is a public use international airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The airport cover ...
, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Cerro de Punta as seen from the Caja de Muertos, Ponce, Puerto Rico (DSC03691).jpg, Cerro de Punta as seen from Caja de Muertos
Caja de Muertos (; also in English: ''Coffin Island'') is an uninhabited island off the southern coast of Puerto Rico, in the municipality of Ponce. The island and its surrounding waters are protected by the Caja de Muertos Nature Reserve, beca ...
, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Cerro Punta Puerto Rico.JPG, Cerro de Punta as viewed from Ruta Panorámica
The ''Ruta Panorámica'' (Scenic Route), officially the ''Ruta Panorámica Luis Muñoz Marín'' (Luis Muñoz Marín Scenic Route), is a network of some 40 secondary roads which traverse the island of Puerto Rico from west to east along its '' Co ...
See also
* List of mountain peaks of the Caribbean
This article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaksThis article defines a significant summit as a summit with at least of topographic prominence, and a major summit as a summit with at least of topographic prominence. All ...
* List of mountain peaks of the United States
This article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaksThis article defines a significant summit as a summit with at least of topographic prominence, and a major summit as a summit with at least of topographic prominence. All su ...
* List of U.S. states by elevation
Notes
References
External links
Cerro de punta photos from Panoramio
* ttp://www.guidetocaribbeanvacations.com/puerto_rico/cerrodepunta1.htm ''Cerro de Punta Climb, Puerto Rico.'' (A climber's Dairy)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cerro de Punta
Mountains of the Caribbean
Mountains of Puerto Rico
Jayuya, Puerto Rico
Mountains in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Tourist attractions in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Barrio Anón
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Highest points
Geography of Puerto Rico