Hiking Fuerte Caprón in Guanica Dry Forest
Channel: Messy Suitcase!
Date: 2022-02-25

Found at the end of one of the most hiked trails in the Guánica Dry Forest, Fuerte (Fort) Caprón offers a sweeping vista of the Caribbean Sea, the village of Guánica below, and the mountains surrounding gleaming Guánica Bay.

This pretty fort was built in the 16th century by the Spanish, and later used by U.S. troops after the Spanish-American war. It has a chamber tucked underneath that offers shade and the opportunity to examine decades worth of colorful graffiti.

We hiked to the fort, walked the trail that encircles it, then continued up the trailhead for a 5.7-mile hike. It’s a steady uphill hike on the way out, without much shade and no facilities. Bring lots of water (we suggest freezing a couple of bottles in advance) and lunch or a snack, and wear sunscreen and a hat!

You are rewarded on the descent with spectacular views in the last mile. 

This hike is one of many in the Guánica State Forest, also known as El Bosque Seco de Guánica, a United Nations International Biosphere Reserve. It’s one of the most extensive tropical dry coastal forests in the world, totaling around 9,000 acres.

LINKS:
Map to trailhead: https://goo.gl/maps/UtWda2dCrfvkrRM77
Discover Puerto Rico: https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/profile/fuerte-capron/8380
Guánica Dry Forest: https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/article/visit-guanicas-dry-forest
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/puerto-rico/west-region/fuerte-trail
Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/qcHbG8qbkRNFPGEs6
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Editing: Beto Greenawalt
Titles and Design: Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt, Hammster Media LLC
Music: "Little Tomcat" by Josh Woodward. Free download at joshwoodward.com.