Rincon de la Vieja National Park - Costa Rica
Rincon de la Vieja National Park, situated in the province of Guanacaste, offers great hiking possibilities.
The Santa Maria Volcano and the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano are part of this national park. The first one is an extinct volcano. The Rincon de la Vieja on the other hand is still active. The last eruptions were in 1991 and 1998. He spreads over an area exceeding 400 square kilometers and has nine craters. The main crater has a diameter of almost one kilometer.
Of the five volcanoes that form the Cordillera de Guanacaste (Guanacaste Mountain Range) the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano is the biggest and the Santa Maria Volcano (1916m) is the highest volcano.
On the "Las Pailas" hiking trail signs indicate the direction to the hot springs.
Next to the hot springs runs a creek with cold water, so one can cool down after soaking in the springs.
There are several rivers and waterfalls in this area, some of them are up to 70 meters high.
Hiking trails and hot springs...
To reach the summit of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano one should calculate one day from the "Las Espuelas" ranger station. From the "Santa Maria Hacienda" ranger station it takes at least two days.
There are overnight accommodations at the "Hacienda Santa Maria", which was once the ownership of the former US President Lyndon Johnson. In addition to that there are several places inside the park where it is allowed to camp.
Rincon de la Vieja National Park on the map
Facts about Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Costa Rica
- Since 1999 the Rincon de La Vieja National Park is world heritage of the UNESCO.
- The national flower of Costa Rica, the Guaria Morada, grows in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
- Business hours: The park is open every day from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- Rincon de la Vieja National Park telephone: (506) 2661 8139.
