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Heavenly Highway

Author: Michael DeFreitas
Although not a single continuous highway - instead running along a network of 40 roads - the 165-mile/264-kilometer La Ruta Panoramica (Panoramic Route, or "PR") stretches the entire length of the island, from Mayag|ez in the west to Yabucoa in the east. From the arid hills of the west, the PR tunnels through arching stands of thigh-thick bamboo, into the upland rain forests and quaint villages far off the usual tourist track. It's one of the most spectacular drives in the Caribbean and offers an unparalleled view of what Puerto Ricans call "out on the island."

Coming out of Mayaguez, Route 105 climbs steeply, its switchbacks pushing up into the heart of Puerto Rico's coffee country. At Maricao, a small coffee-trading town tucked into the forested slopes of the bordering mountains, I stopped to sample the surroundings.

Just south of town is the Maricao Fish Hatchery, which raises some 25,000 fingerlings annually to stock the lakes and rivers. A few miles north is the parador Hacienda Juanita, once a booming coffee plantation and now a rustic bed and breakfast. Over lunch, owner Senor Luis Lugo Rivera talked about the many hiking trails nearby. I decided to stay a night and try them myself. That afternoon I walked a well-marked trail in the Maricao State Forest (also known as Monte del Estado) and another in Mount Guilarte State Forest. Birds flitted from tree to tree as I pushed up the trails, cool mountain air rustling the tops of pine trees high overhead. From time to time, the trees cleared and views opened onto the green valleys below.

From Maricao the PR clings to the edges of the upper slopes of Mount Guilarte, the island's third-highest peak at 3,950 feet/1,185 meters. Heading toward the small village of Adjuntas, I decided to detour north along Route 128 to Rio Camuy Cave Park and the Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park.

While the mountains above are volcanic, the plains running north to the sea are limestone. Where water has found its way into the ground, it has dissolved the limestone, turning it into a spectacular kind of terrain called karst. Below ground, the rivulets of water leaking down gathered into streams, carving miles of winding tunnels and passing through theater-size caverns. The Rio Camuy Caves, in particular, are spectacular. Here the Camuy River has created underground chambers, including the massive Clara de Empalme Cave, a 170-foot/51-meter-high cavern thickly covered with stalactites and stalagmites. The Rio Camuy system is one of the largest underground river systems in the Western Hemisphere. Visitors are taken underground on a guided tour, and the largest caverns are illuminated with spotlights.

From the caves I drove east on Route 111 to the Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park, used about 800 years ago by Taino Indians as a ceremonial center. The Taino played a variety of ball games also played by other Amerindians. Caguana has 10 ball courts surrounded by large stones inscribed with petroglyphs. The small visitors center near the park entrance features displays that explain some of what is known about how the Taino lived (See CT&L, October 1998, page 83).

That night I stayed at the parador Casa Grande just east of Utuado.I backtracked south to Adjuntas the next day and headed east along Route 143, skimming the south ridge of the Cerro de Punta, the island's highest peak (4,390 feet/1,317 meters) before passing through the Toro Negro Forest Reserve. This portion of the PR is one of the highest roadways in the Caribbean, and the views match the altitude: On a clear day you'll see the entire south coast of the island. I stopped here to do some more hiking, walking up to the 195-foot/59-meter Dona Juana Falls that cascades down from Cerro Dona Juana peak (about 3,609 feet/1,083 meters). There's a well-marked trail with signs along Route 143.

After testing my legs once more on the climb to the falls, I decided to check into the historic parador Hacienda Gripinas. Located near the mountain town of Jayuya, this quaint old coffee plantation is one of Puerto Rico's oldest paradores. From a comfortable chair on the sweeping veranda, I looked down and listened to the coquis as night fell over the valley. As the coqui chorus swelled, rain began pouring over the lush landscape, splashing leaves and stones in a soothing counterpoint to the raucous little frogs.

The next morning brought an inspiring sunrise, and with memories of the Toro Negro hike still throbbing in my leg muscles, another detour was arranged, this one south along Route 14 to the hot mineral spring baths in Coamo, which are quite effective at tuning up lagging legs and wayward backs.

I turned back to the PR and continued east to Cayey. There, the PR descends across Route 53, the main highway between San Juan and Ponce. East of Cayey, it rises gently through small tobacco plantations before entering the Carite Forest Reserve. Here in the Sierra de Cayey mountains are dense stands of huge tree ferns, classic rain-forest vegetation. There are a number of easy hiking trails and with the trip nearing completion, it's a good place to get a last look around. From here, the PR descends steeply into Yabucoa, the end of the line and just a few miles from the east coast.

I planned my trip to last four days, but you can drive portions of the PR in a day and return to your hotel in time for dinner.

The roads, though narrow, are well maintained and the signs are pretty good. The times I did get lost, I simply asked directions and the locals got me back on track. Don't worry about food. Many of the paradores have very good restaurants, and there are roadside stands scattered all along the way where you can indulge in out-island treats like pinchos (shish kebab) and empanadillas (patties made of chicken or beef).

If you want to stretch the trip out, the paradores are welcoming and comfortable. They aren't four-star beach resorts, and you won't find full-service concierge stands or spas on the grounds. But you will find people who want you to have a good time and are willing to go the extra mile to help you do just that. As my mother told me when I was growing up, most people will meet you halfway if you just make the effort. Driving the PR is more than halfway to the real Puerto Rico, and it's well worth the trip.

Posted online 02/01/99.

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