Booking choice: The Rainforest Zipline tour, from $112 per person. Check dates Tour details
Most first-time visitors come to El Yunque for one picture: La Mina Falls. In 2026 you can't take it. The trail is closed for construction, and so is Big Tree Trail, the other way to the falls.
This post covers the status reported this late summer and autumn: which trails and falls are open, which are closed, where to get in the water instead, and how a zipline in the foothills fits into the day. The trail details come from an August 2026 hiking guide and the Forest Service pages. Check current status on the official El Yunque page before you go.
The quick answer
A hiking guide updated on 21 August 2026 reports La Mina Trail, La Mina Falls and Big Tree Trail closed for construction, and El Yunque Peak Trail open only as far as Los Picachos. Baño de Oro Trail is listed closed too. La Coca Falls and Juan Diego Falls are open, and the PR 191 corridor is free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The zipline parks sit on private land below the forest, so the closures don't affect them.
Is La Mina Falls open in 2026?
No. A hiking guide updated in August 2026 reports La Mina Trail and the falls closed for construction, along with Big Tree Trail.
The Forest Service trail status page lists both trails as closed, in line with the August 2026 guide. The Forest Service also has a project page, Big Tree and La Mina Trail and Bridge Reconstruction, for repairing and rebuilding the two trails and redesigning the La Mina bridge; its decision dates from September 2021, so look there for progress. Baño de Oro Trail is listed as closed under a federal highway emergency relief project with an alert dated June 2023 and no end date.
We found no published reopening date. A hiking guide updated in August 2026 still lists La Mina as closed for construction, so treat older posts that call it open with caution.
Which El Yunque trails and stops are open right now?
La Coca Falls and Juan Diego Falls, both off PR 191, are reported open. Confirm on the official page the morning you go.
Here is the picture from the August 2026 hiking guide and the Forest Service trail status page. Status changes, so check current status on the official El Yunque page the morning you go.
| Trail or stop | Status as reported | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| La Mina Trail and Falls | Closed | Closed for construction; no reopening date found |
| Big Tree Trail | Closed | Also closed in the August 2026 guide |
| Baño de Oro Trail | Closed | Highway relief work, alert from June 2023 |
| El Yunque Peak Trail | Open to Los Picachos only | Last stretch to the summit closed |
| Mt. Britton Trail | Trail page lists it open | The guide says the tower road and tower are closed for construction |
| La Coca Falls | Open | Roadside waterfall on PR 191 at km 8.1 |
| Juan Diego Falls | Open | Short path to a natural pool |
Where can you swim near El Yunque if La Mina is closed?
Juan Diego Falls has a natural pool you can wade into when conditions are calm. For a bigger river day, a guided half day with natural waterslides is the better bet.
The August hiking guide describes a short path from the road to the pool on Juan Diego Creek, with wading when conditions are calm.
If you came for the La Mina experience of standing in a rainforest pool, book a river tour. The waterslide and rope swing half day meets in Fajardo and costs $49 (you need your own car), and the small-group tour from San Juan adds a van from Condado for $44. Both are guided river hikes with natural waterslides and a rope swing. Neither one is a zipline, and both expect you to hike over wet, slick rock.
Natural waterslides and a rope swing in an El Yunque river, for under $50.
Check dates for the waterslide half dayDo the trail closures affect the zipline parks?
No. The zipline parks are on private land in the foothills, outside the national forest, and none depends on a Forest Service trail.
Rainforest Zipline Park is at km 1.1 on Road 191 in Río Grande, below the forest corridor. JungleQui sits off the same road near PR 990, and Yunque Ziplining uses a private estate reached from Road 992 in Luquillo. None of them depends on a Forest Service trail, and a zipline ticket doesn't include the forest (which is free anyway).
The eight-line Rainforest Zipline course runs at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. every day, according to the park's own site. Remember that the Viator listing says "from San Juan" but includes no transport: you drive the 45 minutes yourself.
Eight lines on a double cable in the foothills, ending on a line of over 2,300 feet. Drive yourself and ride the 10 a.m. slot.
Explore the Rainforest Zipline tour Tour detailsHow do you plan a zipline and El Yunque day with the closures?
Ride first, then drive up PR 191 for La Coca and Juan Diego. A 10 a.m. zipline slot leaves the afternoon free.
With La Mina off the list, the forest half of the day is shorter than it used to be. The corridor is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and, according to the hiking guide, the Forest Service asks visitors to start leaving at least 15 minutes before closing, so a morning ride leaves time for the forest.
| Plan | Morning | Afternoon | Car needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zip, then forest | Rainforest Zipline at 10 a.m. | La Coca, Juan Diego | Yes |
| Forest, then zip | Corridor at 8 a.m. | JungleQui after lunch | Yes |
| No car | Zipline with San Juan pickup | Back at your hotel 4 to 5 hours after pickup | No |
| Water day | Small-group river tour from Condado | Drop-off after about 6 hours | No |
How do you check El Yunque trail status before you go?
Use the Forest Service alerts page on the morning of your visit, not a travel blog. Closures change after heavy rain.
The official El Yunque alerts page lists every closure and links to the trail status page. The conditions page also notes that visitor numbers are managed because of limited parking and the construction work, so arrive early on weekends.
Screenshot the status page and your zipline confirmation before you leave the coast, in case your signal drops.
Frequently asked questions
Is La Mina Falls open in 2026?
No. A hiking guide updated in August 2026 reports La Mina Trail and the falls closed for construction, along with Big Tree Trail. We found no published reopening date.
What waterfalls in El Yunque are open?
La Coca Falls beside PR 191 and Juan Diego Falls, a short walk from the road, are reported open. Check the Forest Service trail status page on the day.
Is El Yunque closed because of construction?
Not as a whole. The PR 191 corridor is open and free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., per the Forest Service conditions page. Several trails are closed for construction, and visitor numbers are managed because of parking.
Can I still zipline near El Yunque with the trails closed?
Yes. Rainforest Zipline Park, JungleQui and Yunque Ziplining are on private land outside the forest, so the trail closures do not apply to them.
Ready to book
Choose your zipline
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Rainforest Zipline in the El Yunque Foothills
- Eight ziplines, from short low lines to the park's two longest
- Helmet, harness and safety briefing; guides on every platform
- Bottled water; lockers for rent
El Yunque Waterslide & Rope Swing Half Day
Natural waterslides and a rope swing instead of cables
El Yunque Small-Group Tour from San Juan
Rainforest swimming and natural waterslides instead of ziplines
