Bosque Estatal de Maricao


This forest of more than 10,000 acres lies along the Ruta Panorámica south of Maricao: it's the largest of the island's state forests. The drive through is spectacular, with sharp curves snaking over ridges as the mountainsides fall away into sheer valleys. En route are several pull-offs at trailheads leading into the woods or down steep inclines, although most visitors just stop at the stone observation tower, La Torre de Piedra, as Rte 120 crests the mountaintop at 2450ft.

While the landscape is categorized as high-mountain rainforest, scientists note that the 845 species of plant here are less ‘exuberant’ than tropical rainforests such as El Yunque. Birds are the most studied fauna, with 44 identified species. Tanagers, cuckoos and warblers are some of the remarkable types spotted in the forest.

Curiously, few trails are maintained or mapped and guides are difficult to come by. There is also no ranger station with information here. If you are coming to hike, bring a topographic map from a supplier in the US, or order one from the USGS (US Geological Survey).

While the main access is via Rte 120 south of Maricao, taking a combination of Rte 105 and 425 southeast of Maricao will bring you to a northern outpost of the forest, where there you'll find the impressive Salto Curet waterfall.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Salto Curet

2.61 MILES

Salto Curet is an impressive waterfall on one of the northern flanks of the Bosque Estatal de Maricao.

2. Casa Acosta y Flores

6.55 MILES

Built in 1917 in a crisscross of styles, this house to the east of San Germán's architecturally rich center exhibits elements of Creole, Victorian and art…

3. Iglesia de Porta Coeli Museum

6.55 MILES

A tiny museum inside San Germán's ancient Iglesia de Porta Coeli. It displays statues of the black Virgin of Montserrat, folksy carvings of Christ…

4. Iglesia de Porta Coeli

6.55 MILES

This small, squat building might not look like much from the outside, but it is actually one of the oldest surviving ecclesial buildings in the Americas…

5. Casa Morales

6.56 MILES

This Victorian-era house was built soon after the American occupation in 1898. With its gables, porches and roof turrets, it's redolent of a Queen Anne…

6. Viejo Alcaldía

6.59 MILES

The old city hall, which acts as a dividing line between the city’s two central squares, is a classic example of a 19th-century colonial municipal…

7. Casa Perichi

6.59 MILES

Situated on the San Germán main drag, this 1920s estate has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986. Its eclectic architectural style,…

8. Catedral de San Germán de Auxerre

6.62 MILES

San Germán’s cathedral, at the top (west) end of town is named for the town’s patron saint and is noticeably grander than the diminutive Iglesia de Porta…