La Piedra Escrita

The Written Stone is a boulder the size of a small building sitting in the Saliente river in the mountains near Jayuya, and its surface carries more than fifty Taíno petroglyphs, faces and figures pecked into the rock, one of the largest single concentrations on the island. Jayuya is the centre of Taíno heritage on Puerto Rico, with a museum in town and an indigenous festival each November, and the surrounding hills hold further carved stones. A boardwalk and steps lead down from the road to the river, where clear pools around the boulder are used for swimming. The petroglyphs show most clearly when the rock is wet and the light is low.

What you actually see

• The carved boulder - over fifty Taíno petroglyphs on one stone.
• The river pools - clear swimming water around the base.
• The Cemí museum in Jayuya - Taíno collections in a building shaped like a cemí.
• The indigenous festival - held in Jayuya each November.

When to go

December to April is drier and the river lower, which exposes more of the stone; after heavy rain the water rises and covers part of it. The carvings show best in morning or late afternoon light when the shadows pick them out. Weekends bring local families to swim.

Honest expectations

Water levels dictate how much you see, and in the wet season much of the carved surface is submerged. The steps down are steep and slippery. There is no supervision at the pools and the current stiffens after rain. People still climb on and touch the carvings, which is steadily wearing them.

Nearby

Jayuya and its museum are ten minutes; Cerro de Punta is nearby.