page_title: Toro Negro State Forest
section_title: Cerro de Punta and other peaks
hierarchical_section_title: Toro Negro State Forest / Facilities / Cerro de Punta and other peaks
caption_attribution_description: English: Cerro Punta, highest peak of Puerto Rico, from Scenic Route
context_page_description: 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 located 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 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 of trails, an observation tower, two natural swimming pools, 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.
context_section_description: The forest includes Puerto Rico's highest peak, Cerro de Punta, which is located at km. 17.0 on Puerto Rico Highway 143. It is at 18.1722°N, 66.5917°W (18°10′19.8″N 66°35′30.03″W). The mountain is the dividing landmark for the municipalities of Ponce and Jayuya. The mountain is accessible by car but the road is quite steep and many prefer to walk the road (it is about half hour's hike to the top) unless riding on an all-wheel drive vehicle.  There is parking on PR-143 for those who prefer to walk to the hilltop.  Another peak in the Toro Negro is Cerro Maravilla, infamous due to the murders of two independentistas youth at the hand of police in an ambush. This peak is also accessible by car from PR-143. The road leading to the top of Cerro Maravilla is PR-577 and is not as steep as that to Cerro de Punta (the Cerro de Punta road has no state signing.) This road is also much shorter, about 0.5 kilometer total length. Cerro Maravilla is located at 18.1532°N, 66.5543°W (18°9′11.6″N 66°33′15.56″W).  Communications towers for radio, television, cellular and similar systems are located atop each of these peaks and armed security personnel, including police, is on the premises. However, private individuals can access both of these peaks.  Overall, the Forest contains Cerro Punta, Cerro Rosa and Cerro Jayuya, which are considered to be Puerto Rico's three highest peaks. Cerro Maravilla, Cerro El Bolo, and Cerro Doña Juana are also located within the Toro Negro Forest.
caption: Cerro de Punta, Puerto Rico's tallest peak, located in the western segment of Toro Negro (photo taken from PR-149, near the mountain top)
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