Mount Halcon

Mount Halcon is the highest peak on Mindoro Island, rising to 2,586 meters in Baco, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Located within the Mount Halcon range near Barangay Lantuyan, it is renowned as one of the country's most difficult climbs due to steep slopes, dense forests and river crossings. The mountain is noted for its rich biodiversity, endemic flora and fauna, and cultural importance to indigenous Mangyan groups.

Visitors can expect a strenuous multi-day trek through dense montane forest, mossy forests, ridges and multiple river crossings including the Dulangan and Karayrayan Rivers. The trail from Barangay Lantuyan involves steep ascents, slippery terrain and camping at designated camps along the route. The summit area offers views of Mindoro Island and surrounding ranges when weather is clear, and encounters with endemic plants, birds and forest wildlife.

Mount Halcon was first scientifically documented in the early 1900s, with botanist Elmer Drew Merrill conducting extensive botanical surveys in 1906. The mountain has long been known for its botanical importance and has been the subject of biodiversity research due to its isolated montane ecosystems.

The mountain and its foothills are ancestral domain of the Alangan Mangyan and other Mangyan groups of Mindoro. It holds cultural and livelihood significance for indigenous communities who reside in surrounding barangays and maintain traditional practices linked to the forest and rivers.