Adventures.(South Coast)

* On Foot

Hiking the Trails of Guanica Forest

The 9,900-acre Guanica forest is considered one of the largest and best-preserved tracts of subtropical dry forest anywhere (find out more about the ecological importance of the forest on page 250). Unlike hiking trails in El Yunque rain forest, Guanica is refreshingly free of swarms of tourists, paved trails and overrun picnic sites. Most of the trailheads are found near the ranger station, located in the heart of the eastern forest at the end of Carr. 334. If the station is open, stop by to chat with the friendly staff and pick up supplementary information about what to see. Trails range in challenge and length, and although the longest stretches fewer than five miles, there are enough loops and crossroads to provide hiking from mild to strenuous. Entry to the Guanica Reserve is free. For more information, call [telephone] 787-821-5706, 724-3724 or 721-5495, or write to Miguel Canals, PO Box 985, Guanica,PR00653.You can set out on your own to explore the forest trails, or take advantage of eco-tour charters in the area (see page 254).

TIP: When hiking the trails in Guanica, it's a good idea to wear protective clothing against the spikes of certain desert plants (such as the chicharron--its reddish holly-shaped leaves sting like hell). Be sure to carry plenty of drinking water, since there is nowhere to stock up, and periodically douse your exposed skin with insect repellent.

BALLENA TRAIL: An easy amble through Dominican mahogany and limestone scrub, this 1.25-mile trail is a hall-of-fame of species hardy enough to survive this climate, including cactus, century plants, agave (not the tequila variety) and twisted gumbo limbo trees. The star attraction is a 700-year-old Guayacan (lignum vitae), an evergreen leviathan distinguished by seasonal bluish flowers. The trail ends at Bahia Ballena, where you can stop for a swim before hiking back up the hill. If you venture along the shore as far as Tamarindo beach, be aware that both green and leatherback turtles lay their eggs here. A great hike.

COBANAS TRAIL: A pitted road follows a ridge for just over two miles east through a long-abandoned plantation of campeche trees, once used to treat dysentery.

CUEVA TRAIL: Flat, easy and less than a mile long, this trail winds through spectacular coastal cactus forest--prickly pear cacti grow up to about 10 feet tall here--with colorful butterflies flitting through the brush. About halfway, a limestone cave is home to two species of bat and a rare type of eyeless shrimp. You must get permission from the park ranger to enter.