Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy
Entrance to Cueva Clara, as seen from inside.
Location	Camuy, Hatillo, and Lares, Puerto Rico
Nearest city	Lares, Puerto Rico
Area	268 acres (108 ha)
Established	1987
Visitors	150000 (in 2009)
Governing body	Compañía de Parques Nacionales

The Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy (Camuy River Cave Park) is a huge cave system in Puerto Rico. It's found in the northwest part of the island, near the towns of Camuy, Hatillo, and Lares. The main entrance to the park is in Quebrada, Camuy.

These amazing caves were formed by the Río Camuy, which is the third-largest underground river on Earth! The river has carved out a massive network of limestone caves and waterways over many years. Even though the cave system was officially "discovered" in 1958, and written about in a 1973 book, people have known about these caves for a long time. The Taíno Indians, who were Puerto Rico's first inhabitants, explored them hundreds of years ago.

So far, explorers have mapped over 10 miles of caverns, including 220 caves and 17 entrances. But this is just a small part of the whole system! Experts believe there could be another 800 caves waiting to be found. Only a small section of this huge cave system is open for visitors. The park covers 268 acres and offers tours of some caves and sinkholes. It's one of Puerto Rico's most popular natural attractions.

The park was closed after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017. It was scheduled to reopen in December 2021 after important repairs were made.

Exploring the Camuy River Caves
Amazing Facts About the Park
Gallery
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Exploring the Camuy River Caves

The Camuy River Cave Park offers exciting ways to see its underground wonders. You can explore different parts of the cave system and learn about its unique features.

Clara Cave and Empalme Sinkhole

"Cueva Clara de Empalme," or Clara Cave, is the main attraction at the park. This part of the cave system was opened to the public in 1986. You can take guided tours or audio tours to learn about the cave. Sometimes, special night tours called ECO NIGHTS are offered.

Your adventure starts with a short movie in a theater. It explains how the Camuy River Cave System was formed and shares important safety rules. After the movie, a fun train ride takes you right to the entrance of Clara Cave. This huge cave chamber is about 700 feet (212 meters) long and 215 feet (65 meters) high! Inside, you'll see an opening from the roof of the "Sumidero de Empalme" (Empalme Sinkhole), which is 60 meters from the surface. You'll also spot amazing stalactites and stalagmites, unique rock formations, and thousands of bats!

Spiral Cave and Sinkhole

The underground Río Camuy river

To visit "Cueva y Sumidero de Espiral" (Spiral Cave and Sinkhole), you need to be ready for a walk. You'll go down a scenic boardwalk with 205 steps to reach the sinkhole. Getting back up those steps can be a challenge! Once you're at the bottom, you can see the mouth of the cave. The cave itself is usually off-limits to visitors. Only experienced cave explorers (called spelunkers) can go inside the cave and explore the underground river, and they need special permission.

This sinkhole is thought to have been a giant cave that collapsed thousands of years ago. The view from the opening of the cave is truly impressive!

Tri-Towns Sinkhole

The Camuy River

"Sumidero Tres Pueblos" (Tri-Towns Sinkhole) is a massive sinkhole, about 650 feet (195 meters) wide. You can see the Camuy River flowing 400 feet (120 meters) below! There are three observation platforms where you can look down into this amazing crater. These platforms are located where the borders of the towns of Camuy, Hatillo, and Lares meet. Each town has its own platform overlooking the sinkhole.

Amazing Facts About the Park

The Camuy River Cave Park is home to many different creatures.

More than 13 types of bats live here.
Hundreds of other insects, spiders, and frogs also call the caves home.
The Río Camuy is the third-largest underground river in the world.
The park can only welcome 1,500 visitors each day. Once it reaches that number, it closes for the day.
So far, explorers have mapped 16 entrances, over 220 caves, and two other smaller cave systems. They've explored more than 10 miles of passages. Experts believe the entire cave system could be much, much larger!