| Recomended for: | Adventurers, Sightseeing, Explorers, Bird Watching |
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Bathrooms Parking |
| Tags: | forest, vistas, nature, open-air, birds, dry, trees, picnic, trail, adventure, explore, natural, mountain, facilities, Guánica, reserve, ecology, rainfall, beauty, diverse, reptiles, coquí, amphibians, Guayacán, fort |
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Description: The southwestern municipality of Guánica is home to one of Puerto Rico’s major Biosphere Reserves, designated as such by the United Nations. While the tropical rainforest of El Yunque, its counterpart on the opposite corner of the island, has for a long time enjoyed well-deserved name recognition, the Bosque Estatal de Guánica is riding a wave of renewed interest in local ecology and its preservation. The 9,000-plus acre reserve, more commonly known as the ‘bosque seco’, lies amidst Puerto Rico’s most arid terrain, encompassing everything from the nearby hills to the plains and all the way down to the coast at stunning Guánica Bay. The type of forest that grows here is known as xerophytic, or just dry forest, where the scarce rainfall and dry climate yield its singular beauty and diversity. Plant species alone number in the high hundreds, almost 250 of which are spiny bushes and trees. Over 150 bird species have been counted in the reserve – doubling El Yunque’s number – as well as numerous reptiles and amphibians, like the native coquí. Visitors can hike through various trails, including the four-mile long Fuerte trail that leads to Fort Caprón – a historic lookout point built by the Spanish – and amazing views of the bay. Other trails lead to impressive sights like a four-hundred year old Guayacán tree. |
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