Juan Diego Falls are a set of waterfalls found within El Yunque National Park. What makes this set of waterfalls so special in my opinion, is that Juan Diego waterfalls are not on any of the El Yunque tours, making this a secret waterfall! If you are looking to explore El Yunque off the beaten tourist path you must add Juan Diego Falls to your itinerary immediately!
How do I find Juan Diego Falls?
When I was planning my trip to visit Juan Diego Falls I found that there was very little information and none of it was consistent, making me a bit nervous to head into the rain forest without a guide not knowing what to actually expect. The reality is that it was very easy to find, and if you follow this guide you will also find it to be a very simple self guided tour!
To get to Juan Diego Falls you will want to take PR191 all the way through El Yunque’s National Rainforest Entrance.
Parking for Juan Diego falls is available just after KM 9.6 and again at KM 9.9. Contrary to most blog posts I read before my own self guided tour of Juan Diego Falls, it is not make shift parking on the side of the road. It is a very defined and safe parking area. I arrived at 8 am and had no problem finding parking. If you get there a bit later and parking is filled at both of these two parking area’s I mentioned, just keep driving a bit as there is designated parking almost every 5 KM’s.
Juan Diego Falls Entrance is located at KM 10. As I mentioned earlier this is a “secret waterfall”. The entrance is actually labeled Juan Diego Creek, and the creek is all you will really see from the road. You will enter right in between the yellow guardrail and the entrance sign shown above.
Juan Diego Falls Guide
As soon as you enter you will see Juan Diego creek to your left. You are going to follow the path to your right (shown above) towards the first of the two waterfalls. The first path is very defined and does consists of several stairs/steps. Arriving at the first waterfall should take you around 5-10 minuets max.
You will be greeted to the first set of waterfalls with the subtle and peaceful sound of the water. The lower waterfalls are absolutely beautiful! We spent about 15 minuets here enjoying the view before moving on to find the larger 40 ft waterfall hidden behind these lovely falls. I should state that the larger of the two waterfalls does require a moderate level of fitness so do keep that in mind if you choose to continue.
The trail to the larger waterfall of Juan Diego Falls is not as defined as the hike to the first set of falls. To get onto this make shift trail you will head back towards the original path you were on and continue to head up and to the right. Expect a steep hike and to have to climb over fallen trees. At points you may even have to get low and on all fours for added stability. The path can also be muddy so be sure to wear shoes with traction. You will follow this make shift path and eventually encounter a fork. Go left. After this point you will see the large waterfall in the distance and start descending towards the larger 40 ft waterfall. The hike from the first set of waterfalls should take about 15-20 min max.
We arrived at the large waterfall just around 9 am and had the beautiful place to ourselves for about an hour before another couple showed up. The water was so cool and refreshing! It was the perfect cool down after a great hike. The bottom of the waterfall is all rock and it was very slippery and uneven so it made it difficult for walking on. I highly recommend bringing water shoes.
Just when I thought our Juan Diego Falls adventure couldn’t get any better. Jake surprised me with a proposal!
Tips For Visiting Juan Diego Falls
What To Pack For a Successful Visit to Juan Diego Falls
- Water/Snacks
- Water Shoes
- Swim Suit
- Towel
- Tripod/Camera
Best Place to Stay When Visiting Juan Diego Falls
I highly Recommend staying near El Yunque as opposed to San Juan area. I stayed in Rio Grande which was about 45 min drive to Juan Diego Falls. Below are a few hotel options to consider.
Where to Rent a Car Near El Yunque
The best place to rent a car to visit El Yunque is Kenneth Car Rental if you are going to stay near Rio Grande. If you want to be at El Yunque when the park opens, I recommend picking up the car the day before if possible since Kenneth Car Rental doesn’t open until 8 am.
***
I hope this helps! If you have any questions about Visiting Juan Diego Falls please leave a comment or send me a DM via Insta and I’ll be sure to get back to you!
Please note that this post contains affiliate links
