:''This article refers to the mountain. For information on the national forest, see

El Yunque National Forest El Yunque National Forest ( es, Bosque Nacional El Yunque), formerly known as the Caribbean National Forest (or ''Bosque Nacional del Caribe''), is a forest located in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rainforest in the United Sta ...

. For the mountain in Cuba, see El Yunque.'' Pico El Yunque or El Yunque Peak (

Taíno The Taíno were a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the pri ...

: ''Yukiyu'') is a mountain that is located fully within the boundaries of the

, part of the U.S. Forest Service, which is the only

tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season – all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm – and may also be referred to as ''lowland equatori ...

under the U.S. Forest Service jurisdiction. It is located in the municipality of Río Grande.

Background

The peak itself, standing at above sea level is not the highest in Puerto Rico or even the

Sierra de Luquillo The Sierra de Luquillo is a mountain range located in the northeastern part of Puerto Rico. Also known as the Luquillo Mountains, these are steep-sided, densely-forested mountains rising to elevations of around , the highest point being the summit ...

range where it is located. It is however the most famous peak due to its curious shape, its natural environment and history, and for its cultural importance to the Taino people. The peak is nearly always covered in thin mist and, due to its high humidity, a quick shower develops during some afternoons. The hike to the top from the Mina Falls is not challenging yet it takes almost hours. This peak is located on the El Yunque massif which also contains other smaller peaks such as Mount Britton, Juan Diego Peak and the Roca del Yunque which is a rocky peak close to the summit of El Yunque. El Yunque massif itself is part of the

. The highest point in the Sierra de Luquillo is El Toro (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

for ''the bull'') located in the municipal boundary between Río Grande and Las Piedras, which lends its name to the

El Toro Wilderness El Toro Wilderness ( es, Selva El Toro) is a federally designated National Wilderness Preservation System unit located within El Yunque National Forest (formerly known as the Caribbean National Forest) on the Sierra de Luquillo in eastern Puerto ...

Climate

El Yunque is classified as having a

tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeas ...

, Köppen climate type 'Af', along with surrounding areas, approximating a

subtropical highland climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

at the peak. The average temperature of the park is 70 °F, and seasonal variation virtually nonexistent. The rugged area can receive over 200 inches (5080 millimeters) of annual rainfall and is the rainiest of all US national forests.

Gallery

File:El Yunque Puerto Rico.jpg, Morning mist in El Yunque rainforest by El Yunque peak. File:Pico El Yunque.jpg, El Yunque massif with Pico El Yunque, Roca El Yunque and Mount Britton. File:View of El Yunque from Britton Tower in Puerto Rico.jpg, El Yunque view from Mount Britton Tower. File:Puerto Rico El Yunque 4.jpg, El Yunque from the north. File:Flickr - ggallice - Window to El Yunque.jpg, El Yunque from Yocahu Tower. File:Top of El Yunque, from the Yokahú Tower, an observation tower built in 1963.jpg, Los Picachos (left) and El Yunque (right) covered in fog. File:Northeast Ecological Corridor and El Yunque National Forest.jpg, El Yunque from the

Northeast Ecological Corridor The Northeast Ecological Corridor Nature Reserve (NECNR) (Spanish: ''Reserva Natural Corredor Ecológico del Noreste'') refers to an area designated as a protected Nature Reserve located on the northeast coast of Puerto Rico, between the municipa ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control Mountains of the Caribbean Mountains of Puerto Rico Río Grande, Puerto Rico Sacred mountains Protected areas of Puerto Rico American folklore

Background

Climate

Gallery

See also

References

External links