Park · Juana Diaz

El OVNI MTB Trail

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

El OVNI MTB Trail is a one-of-a-kind folk art park and mountain biking route perched on a hillside in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico. Conceived by retired industrial arts teacher Roberto Sánchez Rivera and built from scratch beginning in 2002, the site centers on a striking octagonal residence shaped like a flying saucer — surrounded by ever-expanding sculptures, installations, and recycled-art displays that visitors now call a theme park.↗↗

What began as one man's decades-old daydream has become one of Puerto Rico's most photographed roadside oddities and a celebrated entry in Juana Díaz's mountain biking network. The trail earns its reputation among cyclists for intense climbs and technical descents, while the grounds reward walkers with an hour-long guided tour through a universe of upside-down cars, a crashed airplane, a giant birthday cake, a PVC pianist, an alien cemetery, and dozens more fantastical creations — nearly all built from salvaged materials.↗↗↗

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Park · Juana Diaz

El OVNI MTB Trail

Juana Diaz, PR 4.4 (223 Google reviews)

Photo: Google Maps

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

El OVNI MTB Trail is a one-of-a-kind folk art park and mountain biking route perched on a hillside in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico. Conceived by retired industrial arts teacher Roberto Sánchez Rivera and built from scratch beginning in 2002, the site centers on a striking octagonal residence shaped like a flying saucer — surrounded by ever-expanding sculptures, installations, and recycled-art displays that visitors now call a theme park.↗↗

What began as one man's decades-old daydream has become one of Puerto Rico's most photographed roadside oddities and a celebrated entry in Juana Díaz's mountain biking network. The trail earns its reputation among cyclists for intense climbs and technical descents, while the grounds reward walkers with an hour-long guided tour through a universe of upside-down cars, a crashed airplane, a giant birthday cake, a PVC pianist, an alien cemetery, and dozens more fantastical creations — nearly all built from salvaged materials.↗↗↗

The Flying Saucer House

Roberto Sánchez Rivera, a Ponce native who spent thirty years teaching industrial arts in Puerto Rico's public schools, first sketched his dream home in 1977 but waited until retirement to make it real. He bought a hillside lot in 2002 in Sector Peñoncillo (community Aguilita), and over roughly ten years built an octagonal concrete residence whose roof and exterior are clad in sheet metal to create the unmistakable silhouette of a UFO. The interior is just as inventive: furniture made from salvaged car seats, tables fashioned from car-door glass, curtains hung from seatbelts, and beds bolted to the walls. A spiral staircase wrapped in acrylic leads to a second level he designed as a home cinema.↗↗

At sunset, multicolored lights installed around the saucer's base come on, and the owner likes to fill the air with the soundtrack from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Even drivers on the Luis A. Ferré expressway (PR-52) heading between Ponce and San Juan can spot the silver disc gleaming on its hillside — a landmark that has drawn more than 10,000 visitors from Kenya, India, England, Brazil, Australia, Iraq, and the United States.↗↗↗

A Growing Theme Park of Recycled Art

What started as a single house has evolved into a sprawling installation the press calls a theme park. After Hurricane María in 2017 and the pandemic lockdowns, Sánchez Rivera channeled isolation into a creative surge, adding monumental pieces scattered across the grounds. A colorfully tiled pyramid — inspired by a chocolate-bar wrapper and a Rubik's cube — stands beside "El Regalo," a giant gift box referencing the biblical Magi. A colossal birthday cake (bizcocho) hides car-tire cookies inside. An enormous pianist sculpted from PVC pipe — widely interpreted as Stevie Wonder — plays a barrel-turned-piano surrounded by a Puerto Rican cuatro and congas. The alien cemetery uses old television sets as headstones, and a crashed bicycle and upended car near the entrance create the impression that a UFO landing sent everything scattering.↗↗↗

Roughly eighty percent of the creations are built from discarded objects: washing-machine drums become flower planters, rakes are bent into palms, and refrigerator doors were converted into a bathroom. Sánchez Rivera, who describes recycling as both philosophy and practical budgeting, collected appliances and debris across the island to feed his vision. The garden is dotted with mannequins, hand-made flowers, and figures referencing the pandemic era.↗↗

The Mountain Biking Trail

El OVNI also functions as a recognized route in Juana Díaz's growing mountain biking network. Cyclists describe the trail as suitable for intermediate-to-advanced riders, featuring steep climbs, rocky terrain, and technical descents that reward good fitness and handling skills. The alien-themed decorations along the path add an otherworldly flavor to what is otherwise a demanding ride through the dry, rolling hills of Puerto Rico's southern coast.↗↗

For those looking to string together multiple routes, the "Juana Díaz Loop — Canales, Los Reyes, Fort Allen y Ovni Trail" links El OVNI with other local trails into a 24-mile (38.6 km) circuit. The southern Juana Díaz landscape — a mix of irrigation canals, open hillsides, and rocky forest — provides varied scenery for riders of different abilities.↗

The Guided Tour Experience

The heart of a visit is the guided tour, led by Roberto Sánchez Rivera himself. The approximately one-hour walkthrough takes visitors through each installation, explaining the stories, symbolism, and construction process behind every piece. True to his theatrical spirit, Sánchez Rivera sometimes greets guests in character as "Robert El Cachendoso" or his alter ego "Julio," a humble worker. Families report that children are enchanted by the oversized sculptures, the upside-down car, and the surprise hidden inside the giant cake. A modest admission fee applies.↗↗

Planning Your Visit

Call ahead before you go. The property is a private residence and Sánchez Rivera schedules tours by appointment — several visitors have arrived to find him temporarily away. The contact number posted at the gate and listed in directories is 787-453-0672. The grounds are generally open between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily, and the site is rated good for children.↗↗↗

If you arrive after dark, the illuminated sculptures and the glowing saucer are visible from the road and still make for striking photos. For mountain bikers, the southern dry-season months offer the most consistent trail conditions, though midday heat can be intense.↗↗

Getting There

El OVNI sits in the Peñoncillo sector of Juana Díaz, municipality in south-central Puerto Rico, visible from the PR-52 expressway (Luis A. Ferré). The address area is Ollas Hondas / Aguilita community. The expressway connects San Juan to Ponce, making the site a natural stop for travelers heading either direction along the southern coast.↗↗

What makes it special

01

One-of-a-kind flying saucer residence visible from Puerto Rico's main southern expressway↗

02

Guided art tours by the creator himself, with characters and stories behind each piece↗

03

Over 10,000 visitors from around the world since 2002 — no advertising, purely word-of-mouth↗

04

Recognized intermediate-to-advanced MTB trail within Juana Díaz's cycling network↗

05

80% recycled materials used across all sculptures and installations↗

A little planning goes a long way

Call 787-453-0672 before your visit to confirm the owner is available and schedule your tour — no set opening days, and walk-ups may not get inside.↗↗
Allow about an hour for the guided tour. If you're also riding the MTB trail in the Juana Díaz network, plan half a day.↗
A small admission fee applies for the tour. Bring cash.↗
Best photo light is at sunset when the multicolored base lights come on and the sky sets off the saucer's metallic shell.↗
Mountain bikers: the trail is rated for intermediate-to-advanced riders with steep climbs and technical descents. The dry southern climate means dusty conditions mid-season; carry extra water.↗

About this guide

Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 5, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.