Cerro de Punta

Cerro de Punta or just Cerro Punta is the highest peak in Puerto Rico, rising to 1,338 meters (4,390 ft) above sea level.[note 1] The mountain is part of the Cordillera Central and is located in the municipality of Ponce.[3][4][5][1][6]

Cerro de Punta
Cerro de Punta as seen from Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Highest point
Elevation4,390 ft (1,340 m) [1]
Prominence4,390 ft (1,340 m)
Listing
Coordinates18°10′21″N 66°35′31″W [2]
Geography
Cerro de Punta
Location in Puerto Rico
LocationPonce and Jayuya, Puerto Rico
Parent rangeCordillera Central
Climbing
Easiest routePR-143

Location

The mountain is part of the Cordillera Central and is located on the border between the municipalities of Jayuya and Ponce.[7][8][9][2] The access road to the point closest to the highest elevation is from the municipality of Jayuya.[10] It is part of the Toro Negro Forest Reserve, and it has been described as "an alpine runt."[11] It is located on the western end of the Toro Negro State Park. The mountain is just north of east-to-westbound Route 143. It is located at coordinates 18.172458 and -66.591839W. The nearest populated place to Cerro de Punta is Urbanization Vega Linda, located 3.3 miles away.

Geology

Unlike many Caribbean mountains, Cerro de Punta is not a volcano but simply the highest point in the Cordillera Central. Cordillera Central is the central mountain range that divides the island by running in an east-west fashion.[12]

Best view
View from Cerro de Punta, highest point in Puerto Rico

The view from atop Cerro de Punta is said to be "the best view in all of Puerto Rico". On a clear day, it is possible to see virtually the entire island, including as far as San Juan, which is over 75 miles away.[12] There are a number of radio and television transmission and re-transmission towers just off the top of the mountain.[13] There is an observation platform at the top of the mountain.[14]

Wildlife and flora

The mountain is home to an abundant amount of wildlife, lush vegetation, flowering shrubs and trees, and numerous waterfalls.[15] The mountain is covered by palm trees.[13] Various plants, including some endangered species are found here.[16] The endangered fern Elaphoglossum serpens is found only on this mountain and nowhere else in the world.[17]

Cerro Puntas (Climate - Sub-Tropical Highland (Cfb))
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
3.4
 
 
66
41
 
 
2.7
 
 
68
41
 
 
2.8
 
 
68
47
 
 
6.1
 
 
69
56
 
 
12
 
 
73
61
 
 
7.8
 
 
75
62
 
 
11
 
 
76
62
 
 
13
 
 
78
62
 
 
10
 
 
75
62
 
 
9.9
 
 
76
61
 
 
13
 
 
70
56
 
 
7.7
 
 
65
46
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: [18]

Nearby roads
Driving in mountain roads tips

The area consists of many steep mountains. The nearest road is PR-143, which is a winding two-lane mountain road that must be travelled very slowly as it is not possible to see traffic coming from the opposite direction for any significant length. Off Route 143 is the road that actually leads to the mountain's top. Route 143 can be accessed via the better-traveled Route 10.[13] Route 143 is part of the Ruta Panorámica.[19]

Hiking and access trail
View of roadway from Cerro de Punta

A nearby inn called Hacienda Gripiñas, has a trail that leads to the top of the mountain. Hacienda Gripiñas was a coffee plantation, but has been turned into a country inn. It actually still grows some coffee. The inn operates under a contract with the Government of Puerto Rico.[12] The trails, however, are not well marked and often suffer damage from storms.[12] While people can hike their way to the top of the mountain, there is a paved road that leads to the very summit.[11] The Toro Negro State Forest has 12 miles of hiking trails some of which lead to the top of Cerro de Punta.[11]

  • Paved road for climbing up to Cerro de Punta
  • Antennas at Cerro de Punta
  • Lookout area at Cerro de Punta's summit
  • Cerro de Punta as seen from Mercedita Airport, Ponce, Puerto Rico
  • Cerro de Punta as seen from Caja de Muertos, Ponce, Puerto Rico
  • Cerro de Punta as viewed from Ruta Panorámica

Notes
  1. As of February, 1981, the US Geological Survey reports the height as 1,328 meters.(See: Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.) However, Gousha (1995) and Metrodata (1998) report the height as 1,338 meters. (See: Las cumbres más altas de Puerto Rico. Archived 2015-01-28 at the Wayback Machine Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico en Bayamon. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Matematicas. Retrieved 22 August 2013.)

See also

References
  1. "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
  2. "Cerro de Punta". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  3. Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Office of Management and Budgeting. Government Information and Technology Area. Geographic Information Systems Unit. General Purpose Population Data, Census 2000. Archived 2010-08-12 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  4. Ponce Topographic Map. Map Styles: Map and Shaded. Trails.com. From: United States Geological Survey. Topo Map. Projection: NAD83/WGS84. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  5. Puerto Rico Physical Features: Summits. PR Home Town Locator. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  6. "located in the county/subdivision of Ponce District (source: U.S. Geological Survey)" Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  7. EPRL, Publicado por Grupo Editorial (9 June 2016). "Municipio de Ponce - Municipios". EnciclopediaPR (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  8. EPRL, Grupo Editorial (9 June 2016). "Ponce Municipality - Municipalities". EnciclopediaPR. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  9. Nueva Geografia de Puerto Rico: fisica, economica y social. Rafael Pico. 1975.
  10. Government of Puerto Rico. General Purpose Population Data, Census 2000. Unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Área de Tecnología de Información Gubernamental, Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto. Archived 2010-08-12 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  11. O'Keefe, M. Timothy. "Cerro de Punta Climb, Puerto Rico, Part 1". Guide To Caribbean Vacations. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  12. "Cerro de Punta: the High Point of Puerto Rico". The Puerto Rico Channel. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  13. Brandon Stephens, Marion Smith, and Alan Cressler. Cerro de Punta. Published by Brian Killingbeck. ©2005. Archived 2013-05-30 at the Wayback Machine
  14. "Planetware: Your Unlimited Travel Guide to the World". Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  15. The Puerto Rico Channel. Cerro de Punta:the High Point of Puerto Rico.
  16. Maxon & Morton ex Maxon. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Elaphoglossum serpens At Cerro de Punta, Jayuya.
  17. USFWS. Recovery Plan for Puerto Rican Endangered Ferns (7 spp.). January 1995.
  18. "San Juan, PR Climate Data" [Adjuntas Normals]. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  19. "Cerro de Punta". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
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