Archaeology and Cultural Resources

A cultural resource is anything that gives evidence of the life of people in the past. Anything made by man which is older than 50 years can be considered a cultural resource. Cultural resources help us understand the past from a scientific, cultural and historic point of view. 

Cultural resources can be things such as stone tools, ceramics, weapons, houses, trails, abandoned mines, bridges, rock art, old cans, roads and even old glass bottles. 

El Yunque National Forest has hundreds of archaeological sites and historic resources within its boundaries. They range from prehistoric petroglyphs (rock art) to old homesteaders' houses, trash heaps, old mines and all the recreation facilities built during the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC). 

The CCC resources include all our recreation features such as trails, the access roads to the forest like PR191, the Baño Grande pool and the Mt. Britton Observation Tower, among many others. If you are visiting it and it is man made it most likely was built by the CCC.

Please enjoy such valuable and beautiful resources during your visit. And remember that they are an irreplaceable good. So please treat them with respect and don’t damage them. It is a Federal felony to excavate, remove, damage, or otherwise alter or deface any archaeological resource in the forest