Imagine walking in the city and opening a gate door unveiling a natural area where Mother Nature manifests its grandeur all the way, leaving the city noise behind—that was our experience when we reached and explored a secluded forest in Puerto Rico’s metro area: San Patricio State Forest. Not too far away from traffic, commercial buildings and residences in the Municipality of Guaynabo, lies this urban forest managed by the Puerto Rico Natural and Environmental Resources Department. After meeting the San Patricio State Forest’s Management Officer, Mía Sued, we followed the forest’s map and hiked while surrounded by massive green.

As we bonded with nature at San Patricio State Forest, we enjoyed utter tranquility while staring at imposing and copious plant life during our hike on El Karso Trail, Pájaro Bobo Trail, Carpintero Puertorriqueño Trail, Rústica Trail, Árbol de Goma Trail, Zorzal Pardo Trail, and Érase una Vez Trail. Abundant adult and young flamboyant trees (royal poinciana) (Delonix regia) along with other flora, such as almond, palm and yagrumo trees, Sansevieria plants, and ferns, accompanied us while hiking on several trails. Elegant enormous guanacaste trees (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) stood out on the forest’s entrance area and Casa Mía, a two floor-tree house along El Karso Trail. A particular spot at the end of Pájaro Bobo Trail’s first section captivated us as we perceived more serenity among particular trees. Zorzal Pardo Trail surprised us when we saw a huge rubber tree (Ficus elastica) and when on our way back the path led us to a hidden gem guarded by a pretty light-blue door: Érase una Vez Trail. Check this article’s delve! subsection to find out more information about Érase una Vez Trail.

San Patricio State Forest brings Mother Earth’s gift of joy of nature exploration with the convenience for visitors to be geographically close to the city yet enabling to be emotionally away from it. Besides hiking, visitors may bike on designated trails, engage in bird-watching activities early in the morning, and visit Casa Mía, home of a flora and fauna exhibition and sensory activities for kids. For more information about the forest and to schedule group visits, you may contact the current forest’s Management Officer at msbosqueurbanosanpatriciopr@gmail.com .