Juan Castro Blanco National Park - Costa Rica

The Juan Castro National Park is located at the northwestern part of the Cordillera Central. It is situated between the villages of Aguas Zarcas, Venecia, Bajos del Toro, Zarcer and Colon. There are many drinking water sources inside the park.

The national park was established in 1992 to protect those springs. They provide drinking water for the central valley. Another reason was to stop the clearing of the rain-, and cloud forest. Rio Toro, Rio Platanar, Rio Aguas Zarcas, Rio La Vieja and Rio Tres Amigos all originate in the Juan Castro Blanco National Park.

Further attractions are the three volcanoes inside its boundaries. The Cerro Viejos Volcano and the Cerro Pelon Volcano are extinct. The Platanar Volcano is the only one that is active.

Most of the park is covered with old-growth forest, parts are mixed with second-growth forest.

Several endangered species have their habitat here. Among them are the curassow and the quetzal.

In the habitat of the quetzal...

For visitors the parks is not so interesting as it could be, hardly any infrastructure or resources for visitors exists in the park. There are only a few short trails. Although the fauna and flora is by all means interesting.

Typical plants of this area are: oak trees, cedars, magnolia trees, bromeliads and different species of orchids.

The park measures 14258 hectares and is located at an elevation that ranges from 700 to 2267 meters.

Four life zones contain the abundant plant life, premontane rain forest, very wet premontane forest, low montane rain forest and mountain rain forest.

Juan Castro Blanco National Park on the map

Juan Castro Blanco National Park on the map

Facts about Juan Castro Blanco National Park, Costa Rica

  • The Juan Castro Blanco National Park protects important water springs.
  • The Juan Castro Blanco National Park was established in 1992 and is one of the younger national parks in Costa Rica.