Toro Negro State Forest
Toro Negro State Forest
4.5
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
About
One of fourteen forest reserves on the island, which features the peak Cerro de Punta and a number of hiking trails.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
20 reviews
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lizakq
Naguabo1,695 contributions
Sept 2021 • Friends
This forest is beautiful and this is thanks to the community that have done an amazing job maintaining the trails clean. If you like hiking and being alone with the sounds of nature all around I recommend the longer trail to the towe. It took us 2hrs to get there but it was totally worth it. Dress comfortably, take plenty of water and snacks and just enjoy your day. If you need additional directions there are plenty of people around that are always willing to help.
Written 8 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scarleth S
Wichita Falls, TX14 contributions
Jan 2022 • Family
We found this by accident and only had about 2 hours to explore because the park closed at 4pm. My only regret is that I wish we had more time to explore. If we come back to PR, this park will be on our list to visit again. We did Trail #8 Charco La Confesora which is about 1K. At the end of the trail is the charco and you can swim in it. Trust me, the trail did not disappoint.
Written 5 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JenRenN
Dorado Puerto RIco36 contributions
Jun 2011
I've camped here three times and I love it. The nature is spectacular, unspoiled and verdant. The campground is not luxurious, there is no electricity or hot water but it's rustic charm is what I love best about it. Each campsite has a gazebo with a table, a covered bbq area and a fire pit. It has clean running water (we drank it with no problems), bathrooms and shower facilities. There is a natural swimming pool right in the main camping area that's fed by the stream that is great for kids. A hike down the trail takes you to a deeper swimming hole with a small waterfall where you can jump off the rocks and enjoy a swim.
There are several hiking trails, and one that leads to a lookout tower with amazing views. You can see a thousand stars at night, and it's always nice and cool as it's high up in the mountains. The daytime high has never gone over 80 and one year it went down below 60 at night. Quiet, peaceful, beautiful and clean it's everything I look for in a campground. If I could give 10 stars I would.
There is a store a few miles down the road that has basic essentials (bread, milk, ice, gas, basic camping essentials ect..), and serves hot local food for lunch, but you should bring the bulk of what you need with you as this place if pretty far from any larger stores.
You need a permit from DRNA, it's very inexpensive. I've gotten the permits by making a reservation over the phone and then mailing the money order to them with a return address. This time I had to go down and pick up the permit from the office, which was fairly easy to do. This is the phone number for permit info from DRNA [--]
There are several hiking trails, and one that leads to a lookout tower with amazing views. You can see a thousand stars at night, and it's always nice and cool as it's high up in the mountains. The daytime high has never gone over 80 and one year it went down below 60 at night. Quiet, peaceful, beautiful and clean it's everything I look for in a campground. If I could give 10 stars I would.
There is a store a few miles down the road that has basic essentials (bread, milk, ice, gas, basic camping essentials ect..), and serves hot local food for lunch, but you should bring the bulk of what you need with you as this place if pretty far from any larger stores.
You need a permit from DRNA, it's very inexpensive. I've gotten the permits by making a reservation over the phone and then mailing the money order to them with a return address. This time I had to go down and pick up the permit from the office, which was fairly easy to do. This is the phone number for permit info from DRNA [--]
Written 5 August 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kate S
Des Moines, IA140 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
We camped in Toro Negro for two nights. If you want to get away from the tourists of El Yunque and hike on uncrowded trails through beautiful landscape, this is a good option! The campground only has several spots, but each site comes with a covered pavilion with a picnic table and built in bench seating around the outside. There's also a covered cooking area with a wash basin, grill, and table to set out food. The campground has a small bathroom, but bring your own toilet paper (and a flash light--no lights for late night trips.) The trail to Charco La Confesora was our favorite trail. It leads to a small waterfall with a pool of clear water that you can swim in. We spent a few hours there completely by ourselves--there were no other hikers in the area! It was serene and relaxing to only hear the waterfall and the wildlife in the trees around us. We also hiked to the top of Cerro Punto (the highest point in PR) and the Observation Tower. Cerro Punto's hike isn't really a fun hike--it's basically an extremely steep road to the top that our rental car definitely wouldn't have been able to handle. The road is a tough walk--even though it isn't a long distance, we had to stop several times to catch our breath. There are communication towers at the top but there's also a nice lookout location where you can see for miles. It was worth it in the end!
The Observation Tower was another highlight of Toro Negro. The path is VERY slippery because the rocks on the trail are covered in moss and are wet. I would recommend sturdy shoes/sandals for the trail. The tower is 3,537 feet above sea level, so you get great views. We used the map on Puerto Rico Day Trips (http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/toro-negro-forest/). I had read that the DRNA maps weren't up-to-date and trails weren't well marked, but we found the PRDT map to be accurate. Some of the other trails required walking on the road for a bit or you had to use DRNA maintenance roads to get to the trail, but we found them all to be pretty well-maintained. The La Piscina trail leads you to an old pool that used to be river-fed, but is now abandoned. It was cool to see, but would be really amazing if the DRNA would fix it up again.
Lastly, we found it incredibly hard to figure out how to reserve a site here. After days of trying to get ahold of someone at the DRNA offices in San Juan, we finally reached the person in charge of issuing permits. All you have to do it check with them in the office to make sure they have availability the days you want to camp, then you just mail them the permit application and a check. The DRNA then emailed me my permit, which you just have to put on the dashboard of your car in the parking lot and give a copy to the DRNA official (if they're open). We arrived after the office closed, but they did not lock the gate (I assumed they knew we were coming.) It appeared locked, but it was not. The parking lot isn't far from the campground, maybe a few hundred feet. There's a bridge from the parking lot over to the camping area. The next day the office was open and we checked in with them. The office was not open on the weekend.
Camping application: http://www.drna.gobierno.pr/oficinas/saux/sap/sutpf/frm/formularios-para-visitar-y-acampar-applications-for-camping/APPLICATION%20FOR%20CAMPING%20IN%20STATE%20FORESTS%20%28AUGUST%202014%29.pdf/view
DRNA office in San Juan: 787-867-3040
The fee for camping was $4 per adult per night. I believe it is free to visit the forest if not camping, however.
The Observation Tower was another highlight of Toro Negro. The path is VERY slippery because the rocks on the trail are covered in moss and are wet. I would recommend sturdy shoes/sandals for the trail. The tower is 3,537 feet above sea level, so you get great views. We used the map on Puerto Rico Day Trips (http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/toro-negro-forest/). I had read that the DRNA maps weren't up-to-date and trails weren't well marked, but we found the PRDT map to be accurate. Some of the other trails required walking on the road for a bit or you had to use DRNA maintenance roads to get to the trail, but we found them all to be pretty well-maintained. The La Piscina trail leads you to an old pool that used to be river-fed, but is now abandoned. It was cool to see, but would be really amazing if the DRNA would fix it up again.
Lastly, we found it incredibly hard to figure out how to reserve a site here. After days of trying to get ahold of someone at the DRNA offices in San Juan, we finally reached the person in charge of issuing permits. All you have to do it check with them in the office to make sure they have availability the days you want to camp, then you just mail them the permit application and a check. The DRNA then emailed me my permit, which you just have to put on the dashboard of your car in the parking lot and give a copy to the DRNA official (if they're open). We arrived after the office closed, but they did not lock the gate (I assumed they knew we were coming.) It appeared locked, but it was not. The parking lot isn't far from the campground, maybe a few hundred feet. There's a bridge from the parking lot over to the camping area. The next day the office was open and we checked in with them. The office was not open on the weekend.
Camping application: http://www.drna.gobierno.pr/oficinas/saux/sap/sutpf/frm/formularios-para-visitar-y-acampar-applications-for-camping/APPLICATION%20FOR%20CAMPING%20IN%20STATE%20FORESTS%20%28AUGUST%202014%29.pdf/view
DRNA office in San Juan: 787-867-3040
The fee for camping was $4 per adult per night. I believe it is free to visit the forest if not camping, however.
Written 14 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EliutDaniel
San Juan, Puerto Rico14 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
I have been camping at the Viveros campsite part of the Toro Negro Reserve during the past 35 years. It is the best camping site with facilities available in Puerto Rico and it is part of a beautiful forest and natural reserve.
This camp area can accommodate about 40 people distributed in 6 campsites each of which is provided with a covered terrace with concrete floor, wooden picnic table, running water and covered built-in BBQ area and kitchen sync with running water. No electrical power is provided and the bathrooms have no power either so bring your flashlights... A big plus of this camping area is that they provide shared toilets and (cold water!) shower stalls. Mind you, we are talking only about one shower stall for men and another for women so the waiting can be long at times but rarely you'll find this campsite filled to capacity. All of this is rather rustic and in average condition so don't expect the Ritz luxury here. Camp fires are allowed on brick pads across from the cooking areas. There is plenty of space for small and large tents alike.
There is a parking area nearby, but you'll have to haul your gear about 200 meters to the camping site.
The Viveros camping area is close to the Forest Rangers office and right by a small river and several hiking trails. You can take a short 10 minute walk to Charco La Confessor, which is a natural pool with clean and cold river water. You can also hike to the a watchtower on top of the mountain across the road from the Rangers Office.
Come ready to disconnect from it all... there is no cellphone reception in the campsite and you'll have to either hike half an hour or drive 15 minutes to get some signal.
In these many years I have never encountered any security concerns. It really is a beautiful and relaxing place. There are several restaurants reachable by car within 15-30 minutes but you'll be best served by cooking at the campsite.
On top of everything, staying here is dirt cheap (about $3pppn) but you must reserve through the Department of Natural Resources (DRNA, in Spanish). Don't wait to the last minute because capacity is limited. I'd advise you to stay between 2-4 nights to get the most of the reserve. This place is not too friendly for people in wheelchairs or other physical disabilities.
This camp area can accommodate about 40 people distributed in 6 campsites each of which is provided with a covered terrace with concrete floor, wooden picnic table, running water and covered built-in BBQ area and kitchen sync with running water. No electrical power is provided and the bathrooms have no power either so bring your flashlights... A big plus of this camping area is that they provide shared toilets and (cold water!) shower stalls. Mind you, we are talking only about one shower stall for men and another for women so the waiting can be long at times but rarely you'll find this campsite filled to capacity. All of this is rather rustic and in average condition so don't expect the Ritz luxury here. Camp fires are allowed on brick pads across from the cooking areas. There is plenty of space for small and large tents alike.
There is a parking area nearby, but you'll have to haul your gear about 200 meters to the camping site.
The Viveros camping area is close to the Forest Rangers office and right by a small river and several hiking trails. You can take a short 10 minute walk to Charco La Confessor, which is a natural pool with clean and cold river water. You can also hike to the a watchtower on top of the mountain across the road from the Rangers Office.
Come ready to disconnect from it all... there is no cellphone reception in the campsite and you'll have to either hike half an hour or drive 15 minutes to get some signal.
In these many years I have never encountered any security concerns. It really is a beautiful and relaxing place. There are several restaurants reachable by car within 15-30 minutes but you'll be best served by cooking at the campsite.
On top of everything, staying here is dirt cheap (about $3pppn) but you must reserve through the Department of Natural Resources (DRNA, in Spanish). Don't wait to the last minute because capacity is limited. I'd advise you to stay between 2-4 nights to get the most of the reserve. This place is not too friendly for people in wheelchairs or other physical disabilities.
Written 2 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RestLov
Puerto Rico88 contributions
Feb 2012 • Family
I've been to every camp site in the island and this one is just breathtaking. I must say it does get cold... (the area is called "El Frio") so be sure to take your sweaters and a nice sleeping bag. It's a safe place with a river right next to the camping area that takes you to a natural swimming pool. Nearby there are additional hiking trails... Just perfect and there's a very low fee to stay here.
Written 15 October 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ariana T
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico3 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
There is long walk to get there, but is worth it!! I climb to the top of the mountain, where a post tower from the time of the Spaniard still stand. The view is breathtaking, there is no mountain tops higher, just clouds that you think you can touch. From there you can see the southern coast and the beautiful towns of Villalba and Orocovis. There is three ways to get there, the asiest way is to drive to Bo. Mogote in Villalba and walk thru the forest for about 30 minutes.
Written 5 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gorocketdog
United States582 contributions
Apr 2012 • Solo
I arrived close to 17:00 in March 2012, ready to camp. No one was around, save for one family I saw leaving the reserve. My guidebook mentioned there is always someone at the security office who could issue me the camping permit. However, I only saw one building (I assume it was the DRNA building- not security) and it was definitely deserted.
So, I was unable to obtain my pass & camp there for the night. Plus, you have to cart your belongings to the campsite from your parked vehicle. There is NOTHING around here so if you must stay here, get there early I suppose. I tried calling in advance but getting ahold of someone in ANY DRNA office in Puerto Rico was impossible.
So, I was unable to obtain my pass & camp there for the night. Plus, you have to cart your belongings to the campsite from your parked vehicle. There is NOTHING around here so if you must stay here, get there early I suppose. I tried calling in advance but getting ahold of someone in ANY DRNA office in Puerto Rico was impossible.
Written 24 March 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AchimS
Schorndorf, Germany78 contributions
Jan 2019
Nice hiking tour, but not all of the trails open!
Start in Ponce: 9:45 AM. Arrival at 11:20 AM. At km 32.6 there is a Ranger Station (Road No. 143). Emilio, the Ranger is on duty (but does speak spanish only)
Started the trail El Bolo at 11:30 AM
At 12:00 AM you reach the Piscina trail junction (entrance to the left)
Some minutes later you reach the end of the paved road PR-563 and continue to your left, following the road. Then, at the signs make a right towards the tower. Now it is a classic hiking trail, in good condition. After 3km, at 12:30 PM you reach your destination. The reward is a wonderful panorama. Now it’s time for a little lunch, then we made your way back (12:45 PM to 1:00 PM) and continued El Bolo to the right. At km 33.8 you‘ll reach Road no 143 again, you can make a right to reach the trailheads of #9 or #5 (but they are closed at the moment). Unfortunately, heavy rain showers started and we sought shelter under some palm trees. At 1:30 PM we arrived at the ranger station.
Only Charco La Confesora is worth visiting (15 Min. walk, but very muddy).
At the end of the paved road,right beyond the recreation area, pass the bridge and make a left to Charco, ... or take Camino Dona Petra trail to the right (closed).After 200m the Camino Las Cuarentas goes right (also closed). Finally reached the pool of Charco.
Start in Ponce: 9:45 AM. Arrival at 11:20 AM. At km 32.6 there is a Ranger Station (Road No. 143). Emilio, the Ranger is on duty (but does speak spanish only)
Started the trail El Bolo at 11:30 AM
At 12:00 AM you reach the Piscina trail junction (entrance to the left)
Some minutes later you reach the end of the paved road PR-563 and continue to your left, following the road. Then, at the signs make a right towards the tower. Now it is a classic hiking trail, in good condition. After 3km, at 12:30 PM you reach your destination. The reward is a wonderful panorama. Now it’s time for a little lunch, then we made your way back (12:45 PM to 1:00 PM) and continued El Bolo to the right. At km 33.8 you‘ll reach Road no 143 again, you can make a right to reach the trailheads of #9 or #5 (but they are closed at the moment). Unfortunately, heavy rain showers started and we sought shelter under some palm trees. At 1:30 PM we arrived at the ranger station.
Only Charco La Confesora is worth visiting (15 Min. walk, but very muddy).
At the end of the paved road,right beyond the recreation area, pass the bridge and make a left to Charco, ... or take Camino Dona Petra trail to the right (closed).After 200m the Camino Las Cuarentas goes right (also closed). Finally reached the pool of Charco.
Written 23 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Felix C
Bayamon, Puerto Rico6 contributions
Oct 2015 • Family
Went whit my family for a weekend get away, spend 2 days. Camping Area, showers and bathrooms very clean and in excellent conditions. Campers have a private parkin near camp ground. The observation tower, trails and "charca la confesora" super nice. Just In the camping area there are 2 small ponds whit a small river, we're you can get a refreshing experience.
Written 13 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cual es el estado del lugar luego de Maria? Ademas, se puede acampar con mascotas?
Written 19 September 2018
Hi travelers! Looking to get recommendations on whether one should stay in the Toro Negro area or simply do a day trip? We are a family of 4 with 2 kids 12 and 9 years. Getting conflicting reviews - "it's a gorgeous area in the mountains worth visiting" vs. "it's super inaccessible". Thoughts?
Written 16 August 2017
Frommer's mentions there being many mountain retreats in the area to visit both Toro Negro Forest Reserve and Monte Estado State Forest, but I can't find them. Where are the retreats worth stayting at if intending to visit these Forest reserves?
Written 10 February 2015
We visited Sandra Farms Coffee while we were camping in Toro Negro. The coffee farm and tour are fantastic, and while there Israel (the owner) told us about their new cabin up on the top of a mountain behind their home that they are renting to people. It's very secluded and about an hour from either forest. The cabin has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a main living area with a small kitchen and a table. Israel and Sandra mentioned that they can provide food for visitors and, of course, good coffee!
The cabin doesn't have much--no TV, maybe not even wi-fi, so if you're interested in those modern comforts it might not be what you're looking for. But if you want a quiet mountain retreat in the middle of a real Puerto Rican coffee farm, I'd highly recommend.
I'd email them about staying in the cabin (email is on their website if you just search "Sandra Farms Coffee.") I'm not sure how to go about renting it.
Written 15 June 2015
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