Utuado

Utuado is one of the most accessible of Puerto Rico [1]’s mountain towns, thanks to Highway 10, which runs south from Arecibo to Utuado. The wide multilane thoroughfare is well-marked and well-maintained, and it offers a spectacular ascent into Puerto Rico’s Cordillera Central [2], where you can see massive mountain peaks towering overhead.

The road has been cut right through the mountains in some places, creating dramatic profiles that stand in testament to the engineering feat it took to build the passage. Note, though, that the narrow winding roads that lead off Highway 10 are not for the fainthearted. Proceed on them with caution, especially if it’s raining, because mudslides and flooding are not uncommon.

Otherwise, don’t be deterred from venturing into this region. Its natural beauty is breathtaking, and Utuado is home to Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana [3], the island’s most significant Taíno Indian archaeological site.