Planning Your Time in Puerto Rico’s Cordillera Central
It’s hard for some visitors to wrap their heads around the idea of spending their time in Puerto Rico not by the beach but in the mountains. That’s what makes the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico’s central mountain region, one of the island’s greatest hidden gems.
Encompassing tropical jungles, waterfalls, rivers, caves, canyons, and peaks that top out at 4,390 feet (1,338 m) above sea level, the limestone mountain range spans the length of the island’s interior. The untamed natural beauty is a wonder to behold, but it’s not the only reason to visit. This is the place thrill seekers come to go hiking, rappelling, river rafting, and zip-lining, and it’s where history buffs go to explore the island’s Indigenous Taíno roots.
Accommodations tend to be more rustic here than in San Juan, and the service may not be up to some travelers’ standards. But there are some unusual and unique places to stay, like a 19th-century coffee plantation in Jayuya, a culinary farm lodge in Cayey, and a 105-acre nature retreat among the peaks of Utuado. The restaurants may not be on the cutting edge of the latest culinary trends, but they serve some of the best pit-cooked roast pork you’ll ever taste at lechoneras that specialize in the delicacy.
The Cordillera Central was hit especially hard during Hurricane Maria in 2017. A lot of the old-growth trees that towered over this region were toppled, making many roads unnavigable for months. Today, all major roads have reopened, and the foliage is rapidly filling back in, but a couple of the smaller, more remote state parks remain closed.
Planning Your Time
One of the great things about the Cordillera Central is that, because it spans the length of the island, it’s easy to drive into the interior for a day from wherever you are.
On the east side of the island, PR 52 travels south from San Juan to Cayey, where you can head west on La Ruta Panorámica a short distance to Aibonito and Barranquitas. On the west side of the island, PR 10 runs south from Arecibo through the mountain towns of Utuado and Adjuntas, ending in Ponce on the south coast.
Ambitious travelers who want to journey the whole length of the Cordillera Central can drive La Ruta Panorámica, a designated route following a series of well-marked secondary roads that travel along the highest peaks, offering stunning views of mountains and sea. Due to the sometimes narrow, twisty roads and scenic points along the way, it can take the better part of the day to drive the 270-kilometer (165-mi) route one way.
The greatest number of dining options can be found on the eastern side of the mountain region along the Pork Highway, in Barrio Guavate, in the municipality of Cayey, where there is a high concentration of lechoneras roasting whole pigs over open fires. A number of chinchorros—casual, open-air restaurants serving cheap food and beer—proliferate in the side-by-side towns of Morovis and Orocovis, which are also rich in outdoor adventure activities, including zip-lining and canopy tours. Near the center of the region is San Cristóbal Cañon, a verdant canyon between Aibonito and Barranquitas, another popular spot for thrill seekers who are into challenging hikes and rappelling.
Jayuya is home to the island’s highest peaks, but it’s best known as a center of Taíno culture, evident at La Piedra Escrita, a natural pool in Río Saliente featuring large boulders covered in Taíno petroglyphs, and Museo del Cemí, a unique museum shaped like a Taíno amulet containing Indian artifacts found in the area. Nearby in Utuado is Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana, a major Indigenous archaeological site dating to CE 1100.
The Cordillera Central is home to several unique hotels, including a former coffee plantation in Jayuya; an off-the-grid yoga retreat in Utuado; and a culinary lodge on a farm in Cayey.
It rains often in the mountains and can be cool at night, so pack accordingly. And keep an eye on the weather. Heavy rains occasionally result in mudslides and flooding, which could close some roads. As you’re driving, watch out for livestock. It’s not unusual to see a cow or horse tied up to a house right beside the road, and chickens are forever crossing the asphalt.
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