Dominican Republic National Parks
From the highest mountain peak in the Caribbean to desert dunes, to tropical rainforest, to white sandy beaches, to the ocean floor, the geography of the Dominican Republic is a fascinating diversity of incredible beauty. To preserve and maintain the ecology and ecosystems of these areas the Dominican government over the years has established national parks, scientific reserves, national marine parks, and other protected areas on the island, all of which are under the control of the National Parks Office (Direccion Nacional de Parques) located in the capital city of Santo Domingo.
Situated in the southwestern corner of the country this high mountain range is a continuation of the Massif de la Salle range in Haiti. Ranging in elevation from 4800 feet to over 7000 feet, this remote and rugged park encompasses 800 sq. kilometers. Vegetation varies from dry forest, acacia and cacti, to broad leaf plants, to extensive pine forest in the higher altitudes. The geological makeup of the Sierra del Bahoruco is of great interest to scientists and botanists due…
Located in the southeastern part of the Dominican Republic, Little Goat Island (Isla Cabritos) is a desert island (approx. 12 km.in length) situated in the center of the large saltwater lake of Enriquillo. The largest lake in the Caribbean, Lago Enriquillo is three times saltier than the ocean at approximately 140 feet below sea level, and is approximately 200 sq. kilometers in size. Some 500 American crocodiles inhabit the lake which at one time was connected to the Bay of…
Covering 140 square kilometers, this is the largest of all the national parks and includes the islands of Beata and Alto Velo. Receiving an annual average rainfall of only 10 to 28 inches, the vegetation is mostly subtropical dry forest and thorn forest, cacti being the most predominant. Approximately sixty percent of the country’s species of birds inhabit the region, among them the nation’s largest population of flamingos, as well as American frigate birds, roseate spoonbills, black-crowned tanagers, great egrets,…
Easily accessible by boat from either Santa Barbara de Samana, or Sanchez, Los Haitises stretches for approximately 200 sq. kilometers along the coast (south side of the Bay of Samana), and for approximately 1000 sq. kilometers from Sabana de la Mar in the east to Sanchez in the north. Famous for its caves depicting many Taino drawings and carvings dating back to the 16th century, the coastline is also home to red and white mangrove swamps, lagoons, cays, and reef…
Bordering Haiti and stretching over 500 square kilometers this park consists of subtropical dry forest, the Los Cayos de los Siete Hermanos (the Seven Brothers Cays) many coastal lagoons with dense mangroves, and the 700 foot El Morro, a limestone mesa towering above a lovely golden sand beach. One of the driest regions of the Dominican Republic, averaging only 2-3 inches of rain annually, the area mainly consists of dry sub-tropical forests and marine and land ecosystems. The outlying group…
These two parks are adjacent to one another, Armando Bermudez covering the north of the Cordillera Central (Central Mountain Range), with Jose del Carmen Ramirez extending to the south, and between the two cover nearly all of the central mountain area. This was the first national park established in the Dominican Republic in 1956, and is host to the highest peak in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte, at an elevation of 3,175 meters (10,414 feet). Climbing Pico Duarte is one of…
Encompassing approximately 400 square kilometers in the southeast corner of the Dominican Republic and including Isla Saona, this dry, flat terrain is home to a variety of plant life, many of which are endemic to the country, along with over 100 species of birds. There are several caves in the park which contain pre-Columbian pictographs and petrographs but three that are worth a visit if you have the time and energy for the hike it will take to get to…
