Yokahú Tower, Observation tower in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico
Yokahú Tower is a concrete observation tower set within El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the US national forest system, located in Puerto Rico. It sits on a ridge and offers an open view from its top platform across the forest canopy and surrounding hills.
El Yunque was designated as a protected area in the early 20th century under US administration, and visitor facilities were gradually added over the following decades. The tower was built in the early 1960s to give growing numbers of visitors an organized point of access to the landscape.
The tower takes its name from Yukiyú, a spirit in Taíno mythology linked to the mountain on which the tower stands. Visitors who look closely can find references to Taíno heritage throughout the forest, whose people called this land home long before European contact.
The tower is reached by a paved road branching off the main forest route, with a parking area close by. The steps up to the top platform are steep, and since the forest stays wet for much of the year, solid footwear is a good idea.
On a clear day, visitors at the top can see both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea at the same time, since the island is narrow enough for both coastlines to appear from high ground. This makes the view one of the few spots where two ocean basins are visible at once.
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