[3] Machuelo Arriba is a rural barrio located in the central section of the municipality, just north of the Ponce city limits at latitude 18.043976N, and longitude -66.597924W.

[4] It is bounded on the North by the hills north of Camino El Cedro I Road, on the South by Tito Castro Avenue/PR-14 (roughly), on the West by PR-504, by the hills west of PR-505, and Rio Portugues, and on the East by Pinto Peak, and Río Cerrillos.

[5][6] In terms of barrio-to-barrio boundaries, Machuelo Arriba is bounded on the North by Barrios Maragüez and Monte Llano, on the South by Machuelo Abajo, on the West by Barrios Portugués and Portugués Urbano, and on the East by Maragüez and Cerrillos.

The communities of Jardines de Ponce and Las Monjitas are also located within the limits of barrio Machuelo Arriba.

The Río Bucaná springs from Barrio Machuelo Arriba (as Rio Bayagan) and runs for 29.5 kilometers (18.3 mi) into the Caribbean Sea.