6 Epic Mountain Bike Trails in Puerto Rico

When it comes to outdoor adventures, there is no shortage of fun things to do in Puerto Rico. But “mountain bike” and “Puerto Rico” may not be the first pairing that comes to mind.

Trust me, it can and should be.

The biking scene is alive and well on the island – especially around Rincón and the West side of the island. If you glance at a map, mountain bike trails dot Puerto Rico’s varied landscapes and a morning drive around any of the towns will take you past several pace lines of locals and expats who are out for a refreshing ride.

When I was planning my trip to Rincón, I was debating if I would take my bicycle. But, whether or not it was my own bike I was riding, I definitely knew that I’d be exploring some of the mountain bike trails in Puerto Rico during my two months there.

Due to the logistics (and cost) of shipping a bike – and because my research never did give me a clear answer on whether or not riding a bicycle was safe on the island – I decided to leave Lucy at home.

I was in for a happy surprise.

Not only is Puerto Rico absolutely a place you can ride a bicycle, but the mixture of jungle, beaches, and desert forests that make up the island’s ecosystem makes for some pretty epic singletracks to tear up.

There are actually 37 mountain bike trails on Puerto Rico, but here are my top 6 that you should check out. Any one of these would rank high on your list of adventurous things to do in Puerto Rico:  

1. Domes Rincón MTB Trail

Location: Rincón, Puerto Rico
Distance: 4 mi/6 km
Landscape: Jungle, beach

Domes has a place in my heart because it was the first singletrack I ever rode and it was my first experience riding a mountain bike in Puerto Rico.

Domes Beach is best known for its epic surf (there was a Corona Surf Competition while I was there) but, right next to the lighthouse is the entrance to a 28-acre jungle playground full of singletracks, 3 downhills and some of the best views on the west side of the island. I recommend going early to beat the humidity, pedaling to the top of the hill for a break at the hilltop cafe, then rocketing down to the beach for a sunset dip in the Caribbean.

2. Cowboys MTB Rincón

Location: Rincón, Puerto Rico
Distance: 3 mi/4.8 km
Landscape: Inland valley, ranch

I learned about this one after chatting to a local at the coffee shop in town. The property is actually a working ranch, complete with a bar and grill that hosts regular rodeos. But over the past few years, a few avid cyclists have been working to turn a part of the property into a mountain bike trail. Puerto Rico has endless fun things to do that are hidden gems and secret spots; This is one of them.

Follow the winding roads inland through the countryside and head down the drive to check out the trail before having an ice cold Medalla at the bar.

3. Aguadilla Coastal Trail

Location: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Distance: 22 mi/35.5 km
Landscape: Beach

This coastal mountain bike trail in Aguadilla makes the list for being the longest route on the island. But you can bail out early – around mile 10 – if you don’t want to go the full distance. You’ll pedal from the flat coastline, up an ascent and back down to the beach again, giving you a mix of beautiful views and vantage points. The trail is mostly double-track with some sections that are paved or singletrack.

4. Boqueron Wildlife National Refuge

Location: Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Distance: 100 mi/160.9 km
Landscape: Beach, desert

One of the top things to do in Puerto Rico is to visit La Paguera, one of the famous bioluminescent bays. And, just 8 miles to the west is another great attraction: the Boqueron Wildlife Refuge.

It’s not the longest mountain bike trail in Puerto Rico, because it’s more of a collection of trails and paths that you can ride along. But it’s definitely one of the most bicycle-friendly and beautiful areas of the island. The preserve is home to several rare tropical birds and multiple trails (beach trail, singletrack, dirt, double-track) that will take you past red salt flats, cactus forests and the famous Los Morrillos Lighthouse.

You can easily make a weekend out of visiting Cabo Rojo or could make it a stop along a Puerto Rican road trip.

5. Monte Brujo

Location: Guayama, Puerto Rico
Distance: 6 mi/9.7 km
Landscape: Beach

A mountain bike trail that is popular and well-loved by Puerto Ricans and adventure travelers alike. Monte Brujo (Witch Mountain) isn’t nearly as intimidating as the name implies. Both beginners and advanced riders have a good time with the climbs, drops and detours between.

If you like getting a little off the beaten path – if you’re reading this, I assume you do – explore the extra 15 miles of trails called Caminos Blancos in the area, too.

6. Guánica State Forest

Location: Guánica, Puerto Rico
Distance: 10 mi/16 km
Landscape: Desert

Want to pedal a mountain bike through a desert on a tropical island? Put a pin in “Guánica” on your map, then. A part of the 100 de La Parguera endurance MTB Race route, I personally think this mountain bike trail near Ponce, Puerto Rico is cool simply because of the scenery, which is technically a subtropical dry forest. But it’s also a well-kept, well-marked network of limestone-flanked mountain bike and hiking trails that will tire you out long before the afternoon sun gets to you.

These are just six of the mountain bike trails in Puerto Rico that really called my name, but if you want some unforgettable Puerto Rican adventures, you can stay busy chasing singletracks for a while. Just remember to bring a helmet, sunscreen, bug repellent and more water than you might think you need. The Caribbean humidity is no joke!

And if you’re maybe into mountain biking but fancy yourself more a fan of that sweet, sweet pavement, I got you.  

As luck would have it, there is actually a pretty epic long-distance bicycle tour on Puerto Rico called La Vuelta. It’s a huge, non-competitive, fully-supported bicycle tour that circumnavigates the island (375 miles) and takes you through each of the 42 coastal towns.

The tour always happens in January and you have to sign up well in advance. Since I learned about it just a few weeks beforehand, I knew I wouldn’t be able to ride. As luck would have it, scheduling conflicts didn’t even allow me to watch.

But I’ll take exploring those mountain bike trails throughout Puerto Rico, hunting for waterfalls near San Sebastian or any of the other fun things to do in Rincón as a consolation prize any day.

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