Cordillera Central (Puerto Rico)

Cordillera Central (English: Central Mountain Range), is the main mountain range in Puerto Rico. The range crosses the island from west to east and divides the island into northern and southern coastal plains.

Cordillera Central
Cordillera Central runs through the municipality of Corozal, among others
Highest point
PeakCerro de Punta
Elevation4,390 ft (1,340 m)
Coordinates18°10′21″N 66°35′31″W 
Geography
LocationPuerto Rico

Cordillera Central runs eastward from Maricao in the west to Aibonito in the central eastern Puerto Rico region and on to the outskirts of the Sierra de Cayey. Sierra de Cayey is an extension of Cordillera Central that begins in the town of Cayey and runs eastwardly to Humacao. The Sierra de Cayey "extension" ends in a fork with two lower ranges: Sierra Guardarraya and Cuchillas de Panduras which run eastward to Yabucoa and Patillas respectively.

Cerro de Punta in Ponce, the highest peak in the Cordillera Central

Another Cordillera Central eastern branch, Sierra de Luquillo, runs northeastwardly from Gurabo to Fajardo and includes several high peaks, including Toro Hill, at 3,524 ft (1,074 m), El Yunque at 3,494 ft (1,065 m) and El Pico Oeste at 3,446 ft (1,056 m).

Mountains in the Cordillera Central range
Highest mountain peaks in the Cordillera Central
Rank Mountain Peak Municipality and (Barrio) Location
Reference		 Elevation Elevation
Reference
1 Cerro de Punta Ponce (Anón) [1] 4,357 ft (1,328 m) [2]
2 Monte Jayuya Jayuya (Saliente) [3] 4,252 ft (1,296 m) [4]
3 Cerro Rosa Ciales (Toro Negro) & Jayuya (Saliente) [5] 4,144 ft (1,263 m) [6]
4 Piedra Blanca Jayuya (Veguitas) [7] 4,042 ft (1,232 m) [8]
5 Cerro Maravilla Ponce (Anón) [9] 3,960 ft (1,207 m) [10]
6 Monte Guilarte Adjuntas (Guilarte) [11] 3,934 ft (1,199 m) [12]
7 Los Tres Picachos[13] Ciales and Jayuya (Coabey) [14] 3,894 ft (1,187 m) [15]
8 Cerro Saliente Jayuya (Saliente) [16] 3,845 ft (1,172 m) [17]
9 Monte Membrillo Yauco (Río Prieto) [18] 3,579 ft (1,091 m) [19]
10 Cerro El Bolo Villalba (Villalba Arriba) [20] 3,527 ft (1,075 m) [21]
11 El Toro & Las Piedras (El Río) & Río Grande (Guzmán Arriba) [22][23] 3,474 ft (1,059 m) [24]
12 Cerro Doña Juana Orocovis (Ala de la Piedra) [25] 3,471 ft (1,058 m) [26]
49 Cerro Las Tetas Salinas (Lapas) [27] 2,759 ft (841 m) [28]

& = Not in Cordillera Central. Placement here for reference only.

The first road to span the mountain range was the Carretera Central, which was functional by 1886 and completed in 1898.

  • USGS shaded relief map of Puerto Rico
  • USGS map showing axis of the mountain range
  • Cordillera Central from Mirador Villalba-Orocovis
  • Topography of Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

See also

References
  1. Puerto Rico Physical Features: Summits. PR Home Town Locator. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  2. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  3. Mountain Forests: Highest peaks. El Yunque.com Puerto Rico's Forest Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  4. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  5. Historia de Ciales. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  6. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  7. Piedra Blanca - Maps, Driving Directions & Local Area Information. PR Home Town Locator. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  8. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  9. Historia de Nuestros Barrios: Barrio Anón, Ponce. Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine Rafael Torrech San Inocencio. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  10. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  11. Bosque Estatal de Guilarte. Archived October 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Hojas de Nuestro Ambiente. Publication # P-035. December 2008. Puerto Rico Depratmento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  12. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  13. Hojas de Nuestro Ambiente: El Bosque Estatal de Los Tres Picachos. Accessed 27 May 2020.
  14. Bosque Estatal Los Tres Picachos. Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine PR DRNA. Publication # P-040. April 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  15. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  16. Cerro Saliente - Maps, Driving Directions & Local Area Information. Puerto Rico Home Town Locator. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  17. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  18. Monte Membrillo - Maps, Driving Directions & Local Area Information. Puerto Rico Home Town Locator. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  19. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  20. Cerro El Bolo - Maps, Driving Directions & Local Area Information. Puerto Rico Home Town Locator. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  21. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  22. Fact Sheet – El Toro Wilderness Caribbean National Forest. US Forestry Service. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  23. Las Piedras. Proyecto Salon Hogar. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  24. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  25. Cerro Doña Juana - Maps, Driving Directions & Local Area Information. Puerto Rico Home Town Locator. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  26. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  27. Mountainzone.com: Salinas County, Puerto Rico, Mountain Peaks & Summits. Archived September 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  28. Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Results. United States Geological Survey. 13-FEB-1981. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
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