El Yunque National Forest, formerly known as the
Luquillo National Forest and the
Caribbean National Forest, is a forest located in northeastern
Puerto Rico. It is the only
tropical rain forest in the United States
National Forest System. The forest is commonly known as
El Yunque, which may be attributed to either a Spanish approximation of the aboriginal
Taíno word
yu-ke which means "white lands", or the word "
anvil," which is
yunque in Spanish. The second-tallest mountain within El Yunque is also named
El Yunque. El Yunque National Rainforest is located on the slopes of the Sierra de Luquillo mountains, encompassing 28,000 acres (43.753 mi
2 or 113.32 km
2) of land, making it the largest block of
public land in Puerto Rico. El Toro, the highest mountain peak in the forest rises above sea level. Ample rainfall (over 200 inches a year in some areas) creates a jungle-like setting — lush foliage, crags, waterfalls, and rivers are a prevalent sight. The forest has a number of trails from which the jungle-like territory's flora and fauna can be appreciated. El Yunque is also renowned for its unique
Taíno petroglyphs.