Guilarte State Forest
Guilarte State Forest, also known as Bosque Estatal de Guilarte, is one of Puerto Rico’s public forests. It sits in the eastern half of the Central Mountain Range and is dominated by Monte Guilarte, Puerto Rico’s seventh-highest mountain at 3,950 feet. The forest touches Adjuntas and parts of Guayanilla, Peñuelas, and Yauco.
In 1935, the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration bought about 3,500 acres around Monte Guilarte to create a forest reserve for conservation and recreation. Today, the forest is managed by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) and covers 4,822 acres. The land ranges from about 2,500 to 3,950 feet in elevation and has two main forest zones: a Sierra palm forest (subtropical moist broadleaf) and a montane cloud forest at the highest peaks. The area helps protect several river basins, including the Arecibo, Añasco, and Guayanilla rivers.
About 227 tree species grow here, with four endangered or threatened: West Indian walnut (Juglans jamaicensis), palo de Ramón (Banara vanderbiltii), the endemic dwarf tree fern (Alsophila dryopteroides), and the Monte Guilarte hollyfern (Polystichum calderonense). The most common forest type is the Sierra palm forest, along with trees such as caimitillo and tabaiba, and the Puerto Rican magnolia (jagüilla). In the higher montane forest, evergreen trees like Tabebuia shumanniana and Ocotea spatulata are found, along with Cordia alliodora and the swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta), which thrive in cooler temperatures.
The forest is home to several endangered or unique animals, including the red fruit bat (Stenoderma rufum), Eneida’s coquí (Eleutherodactylus eneidae), the mountain coquí (Eleutherodactylus portoricensis), the Puerto Rican boa (Epicrates inornatus), the Puerto Rican vireo (Vireo latimeri), and the Sierra hawk (Accipiter striatus venator). Other birds and animals such as various pigeons, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and several anoles can also be found here.
Guilarte Forest is open during daylight hours for hiking and birdwatching. The main trails are the San Andrés Trail, which loops around the forest, and the Pico Guilarte Trail, which leads to the summit of Monte Guilarte and offers several lookout points. The area has bathrooms, barbecue pits, and seven cabins that sleep up to four people each; cabins must be reserved in advance through DRNA. Parking is at the DRNA ranger office in Guilarte, at the corner of PR-518 and PR-131.
Camping is not allowed inside the forest. Nearby outside areas offer more recreation, such as Garzas Lake for fishing and camping, and several waterfalls and swimming spots like Charco Mangó and Charco El Ataúd.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:13 (CET).