El Toro (Sierra de Luquillo)

Last updated
El Toro
Naguabo - El Yunque nat forest IMG 1687.jpg
View of El Toro peak from Peña Pobre in Naguabo, Puerto Rico
Highest point
Elevation 3,526 ft (1,075 m)
Prominence 988 ft (301 m)
Parent peak Cerro de Punta
Naming
Etymology "the bull" in Spanish
Geography
Location Las Piedras, Puerto Rico and Río Grande, Puerto Rico
Parent range Sierra de Luquillo
Climbing
Easiest route hike

El Toro (Spanish for the bull ) is 3,526 feet (1,075 m) high and is the highest peak in the Sierra de Luquillo mountains in eastern Puerto Rico. [1]

The peak is located in the boundaries of barrios El Río, Las Piedras and Guzmán Arriba, Río Grande on a massif that is the source of various important rivers in the region such as Cubuy and Gurabo. It gives its name to El Toro Wilderness, which was established in the 1930s to protect the area and designated a National Wilderness Area in 2005. It is the only tropical wilderness in the U.S. National Forest System (NFS). [2]

Despite being located in one of the most remote areas of El Yunque National Forest, this summit can be accessed from a trail from Cubuy in the municipality of Canóvanas. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Juan Mountains</span> Mountain range in Colorado and New Mexico, United States

The San Juan Mountains is a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. The area is highly mineralized and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado. Major towns, all old mining camps, include Creede, Lake City, Silverton, Ouray, and Telluride. Large scale mining has ended in the region, although independent prospectors still work claims throughout the range. The last large scale mines were the Sunnyside Mine near Silverton, which operated until late in the 20th century and the Idarado Mine on Red Mountain Pass that closed down in the 1970s. Famous old San Juan mines include the Camp Bird and Smuggler Union mines, both located between Telluride and Ouray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sangre de Cristo Range</span> American mountain range

The Sangre de Cristo Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in southern Colorado in the United States, running north and south along the east side of the Rio Grande Rift. The mountains extend southeast from Poncha Pass for about 75 mi (121 km) through south-central Colorado to La Veta Pass, approximately 20 mi (32 km) west of Walsenburg, and form a high ridge separating the San Luis Valley on the west from the watershed of the Arkansas River on the east. The Sangre de Cristo Range rises over 7,000 ft (2,100 m) above the valleys and plains to the west and northeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Yunque (Puerto Rico)</span> Mountain in Puerto Rico

Pico El Yunque or El Yunque Peak is a mountain that is located fully within the boundaries of the El Yunque National Forest, part of the U.S. Forest Service, which is the only tropical rainforest under the U.S. Forest Service jurisdiction. It is located in the municipality of Río Grande.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Yunque National Forest</span> Rainforest near Río Grande, Puerto Rico

El Yunque National Forest, formerly known as the Caribbean National Forest, is a forest located in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest System and the United States Forest Service. El Yunque National Forest is located on the slopes of the Sierra de Luquillo mountains, encompassing more than 28,000 acres of land, making it the largest block of public land in Puerto Rico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Charleston</span> Mountain in Nevada, United States

Mount Charleston, including Charleston Peak at 11,916 feet (3,632 m), is the highest mountain in both the Spring Mountains and Clark County, in Nevada, United States. It is the eighth-highest mountain in the state. Well separated from higher peaks by large, low basins, Charleston Peak is the most topographically prominent peak in Nevada, and the eighth-most-prominent peak in the contiguous United States. It is one of eight ultra-prominent peaks in Nevada. It is located about 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Las Vegas within the Mount Charleston Wilderness, which is within the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humphreys Peak</span> Highest mountain in Arizona

Humphreys Peak is the highest natural point and the second most prominent peak after Mount Graham in the U.S. state of Arizona, with an elevation of 12,637 feet (3,852 m) and is located within the Kachina Peaks Wilderness in the Coconino National Forest, about 11 miles (17.7 km) north of Flagstaff, Arizona. Humphreys Peak is the highest of a group of dormant volcanic peaks known as the San Francisco Peaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Peaks</span> Landform near Phoenix, Arizona

Four Peaks is a prominent landmark on the eastern skyline of Phoenix. Part of the Mazatzal Mountains, it is located in the Four Peaks Wilderness in the Tonto National Forest, 40 miles (64 km) east-northeast of Phoenix. In winter, Four Peaks offers much of the Phoenix metro area a view of snow-covered peaks. Four Peaks is the site of an amethyst mine that produces top-grade amethyst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carson National Forest</span>

Carson National Forest is a national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers and is administered by the United States Forest Service. The Forest Service's "mixed use" policy allows for its use for recreation, grazing, and resource extraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kendrick Peak</span> Mountain in Arizona

Kendrick Peak or Kendrick Mountain is one of the highest peaks in the San Francisco volcanic field north of the city of Flagstaff in the U.S. State of Arizona and is located on the Coconino Plateau in Coconino County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miller Peak (Arizona)</span> Mountain in Cochise County, Arizona

Miller Peak, at 9,470 feet (2,886 m), is the second-highest mountain in Cochise County, Arizona. Located approximately 10 miles south of Sierra Vista, Arizona, it is the highest mountain in the Huachuca mountain range and a popular local hiking destination. The Miller Peak Wilderness encompasses 20,190 acres and is managed by the Coronado National Forest. This is also the most southerly peak and land area to rise above 9,000 feet in the continental United States. The area was affected by the 2011 Monument fire and most of the pine trees seen in older photographs were burned and destroyed. Scrub oak are beginning to replace the areas that were previously covered by pine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truchas Peak</span>

Truchas Peak is the second highest peak in the U.S. State of New Mexico behind Wheeler Peak. It is in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Santa Fe. It lies within the Pecos Wilderness, part of the Santa Fe National Forest. The name of the peak is Spanish for "trout" (plural). It is the highest point in both Rio Arriba and Mora counties. It is also the most southerly peak and land area in the continental United States to rise above 13,000 feet (3,962 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Mountain (Georgia)</span> Mountain in the U.S. state of Georgia

Rich Mountain, elevation 4,040 feet (1,230 m), is the highest point in the Rich Mountain Wilderness of the Chattahoochee National Forest in Gilmer County, Georgia. It is the second-highest peak in Gilmer County; only Big Bald Mountain is taller, with its summit at 4,081 feet (1,244 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Jefferson (Nevada)</span> Mountain in Nevada, United States

Mount Jefferson is the highest mountain in both the Toquima Range and Nye County in Nevada, United States. It is the sixth highest mountain in the state. As the high point of a range which is well separated from other ranges by low basins, Mount Jefferson has a high topographic prominence of 5,861 feet (1,786 m). This makes it the most prominent peak in Nye County and the third most prominent peak in Nevada. For similar reasons, it is also the highest mountain for over 90 miles in all directions. It is located about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of the county seat of Tonopah within the Alta Toquima Wilderness of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, near the smaller towns of Carvers and Round Mountain. Three distinct summits are located on a broad area of subalpine tundra: North Summit rises to 11,820 feet (3,603 m), Middle Summit to 11,692 feet (3,564 m), and South Summit to 11,949 feet (3,642 m). During the Pleistocene, alpine glaciers eroded several cirques east of the summit plateau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Toro Wilderness</span> National Wilderness Preservation System in Puerto Rico

El Toro Wilderness is a 10,254-acre (41.5 km2) federally designated National Wilderness Preservation System unit located within El Yunque National Forest on the Sierra de Luquillo in eastern Puerto Rico. El Toro, named after the highest peak in the forest at 3,524 feet (1,074 m), is the only tropical wilderness in the United States National Forest System. It was created in 2005 by the Caribbean National Forest Act of 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huachuca Mountains</span> Landform in Cochise County, Arizona

The Huachuca Mountains are part of the Sierra Vista Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest in Cochise County in southeastern Arizona, approximately 70 miles (110 km) south-southeast of Tucson and southwest of the city of Sierra Vista. Included in this area is the highest peak in the Huachucas, Miller Peak, and the region of the Huachucas known as Canelo Hills in eastern Santa Cruz County. The mountains range in elevation from 3,934 feet (1,199 m) at the base to 9,466 feet (2,885 m) at the top of Miller Peak. The second highest peak in this range is Carr Peak, elevation 9,200 feet (2,804 m). The Huachuca Mountain area is managed principally by the United States Forest Service (41%) and the U.S. Army (20%), with much of the rest being private land (32%). Sierra Vista is the main population center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toro Negro State Forest</span> State forest in Puerto Rico

Toro Negro State Forest is one of the 21 forests that make up the public forests system in Puerto Rico. It is also Puerto Rico's highest cloud forest. It is in the Cordillera Central region of the island and covers 8,204 cuerdas, of mountains. Toro Negro's mountains have heights reaching up to 4,400 feet (1,300 m) and include Cerro de Punta, Cerro Jayuya and Cerro Rosa, the three highest peaks in the island. Nested among these mountains is Lake Guineo, the island's highest lake. The forest has 18 kilometers (11 mi) of trails, an observation tower, two natural swimming pools (Spanish:"charcos"), camping and picnic areas, nine rivers, and numerous creeks and waterfalls. The forest spans areas within the municipalities of Ponce, Jayuya, Orocovis, Ciales, and Juana Díaz, and consists of seven non-contiguous tracts of land. The largest contiguous segment of the forest is located in the municipalities of Ponce and Jayuya. Some 40% of the area of Toro Negro State Forest is located in Ponce's Barrio Anón.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Icacos River</span> River in Puerto Rico

The Icacos River, sometimes spelled Hicacos, is a river of Naguabo, Puerto Rico. It is 2.3 miles (3.7 km) long and has received the designation of "Wild and Scenic River" by the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This river aids the hydroelectric dam in Naguabo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Peak (Idaho)</span>

Castle Peak is a mountain in the western United States, the highest peak in the White Cloud Mountains of central Idaho and the Idaho Batholith. Located in Custer County, it is the 25th highest peak in the state, and the ninth most prominent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pico del Este (Sierra de Luquillo)</span> Mountain peak in Puerto Rico

Pico del Este is a mountain peak in the southern portion of the Sierra de Luquillo, located on the boundary between the municipalities of Ceiba and Naguabo in eastern Puerto Rico. A radar complex built by the US Navy can be found in the summit of the mountain. Known as the Old Navy Radar, these facilities remain decommissioned and abandoned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Picachos</span> Mountain peak of El Yunque in Puerto Rico

Los Picachos is a mountain peak of El Yunque massif located immediately to the southeast of El Yunque's main peak in the Sierra de Luquillo. The peak consists of a high ridge made up of several smaller peaks and it is one of the highest peaks of El Yunque National Forest that can be reached by a hiking trail. It is located at 3,041 feet above the sea level.

References

  1. "El Toro - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  2. "El Toro Wilderness Trail". United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Archived from the original on 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  3. "Hike El Toro Trail to the Highest Point in the Rain Forest". www.puertoricodaytrips.com. Retrieved 2021-09-11.

Coordinates: 18°16′20″N65°49′45″W / 18.2721°N 65.8293°W / 18.2721; -65.8293