Costa Rica National Parks
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of National Parks in Costa Rica
Barra Honda National Park
Size: 2,295 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste Province, 22 kilometers north of Nicoya.
Description: Important limestone reef formations from when
area was submerged 60 million years ago, as well as extensive
system of caves. Must go with guide.
Number of visitors: 2,389.
Services: Information, restrooms, potable water.
Arenal National Park
Size: 2920 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste Province, north of Tilaran Mountains,
in the cantons of Tilaran, San Carlos and San Ramon.
Description: Cloud forest, premontane tropical forest.
Number of visitors: No statistics available.
Services: None.
Braulio Carrillo National Park
Size: 45,899 hectares.
Location: Northeast of Central Valley, between Poas and Irazu
volcanoes, extending from Alto de la Palma to La Selva Biological
Station in Sarapiqui.
Description: 4500 mm of rainfall per year fill this park with
innumerable rivers and waterfalls, as well as over 6500 species
of plants and animals. Its size and proximity to San Jose
make it an ideal destination.
Number of Visitors: 11,513.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, restrooms, potable
water, exhibits.
Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve
Size: 1,172 hectares land and 1790 hectares marine.
Location: Puntarenas Province, south tip of Nicoya Penninsula.
Description: Refuge for fauna and flora of Pacific dry region,
119 species of trees. Costa Rica's oldest official biological
reserve.
Number of Visitors: 8,307
Services: Information, picnic areas, primitive latrines, potable
water.
Cahuita National Park
Size: 1,068 hectares land, 22,400 hectares marine.
Location: On Caribbean coast in Limon Province, 42 kilometers
south of Limon.
Description: Turquoise water and extensive coral reefs make
this the most popular destination of amateur divers. Inability
to control maritime access has led to considerable damage
to the reef, and experts are concerned that site will be permanently
destroyed by poorly trained divers.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, restrooms, showers
and parking.
Cangreja National Park
Size: 1973 hectares.
Location: Puriscal, San Jose Province, Costa Rica. Northwest
of San Jose.
Description: Lower forest forestation. Although the area is
relatively small, because it is a migratory bird refuge it
actually has more birds and flora than the Corcovado National
Park in the South Pacific of Costa Rica.
Number of visitors: No statistics available.
Services: None.
Cano Island Biological Reserve
Size: 200 hectares land, 2700 hectares marine.
Location: In Pacific Ocean, 15 kilometers off the coast of
Corcovado National Park on Osa Peninsula.
Description: Primarily tropical rainforest, also an important
pre-Columbian archeological site. Coral reef, dolphins and
whales.
Number of Visitors: 3,325
Services: Information, potable water, restrooms.
Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge
Size: 9,969 hectares.
Location: Northern Alajuela province, Guatuso lowlands, 20
kilometers south of Los Chiles.
Description: Lowland swamp and freshwater drainage basin for
the Frio River. Protects thousands of migratory birds, as
well as ocelot, jaguar, tapir, peccary and several species
of monkey.
Number of Visitors: No information available.
Services: Information, picnic areas.
Carara Biological Reserve
Size: 4,700 hectares.
Location: Puntarenas Province, southeast of Orotina.
Description: Transitional zone between dry and humid forest.
Human encroachment along perimeters, illegal mining, poorly
controlled tourists and fires have taken major toll on this
tiny patch of forest surrounded by development.
Number of Visitors: 26,754.
Services: Information, primitive latrines, potable water,
parking.
Chirripo National Park
Size: 50,150 hectares.
Location: Part of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, in Talamanca
mountain range, 20 kilometers northeast of San Isidro de El
General.
Description: Includes the highest mountain peak in the country
at 3,820 meters above sea level. Extremely difficult terrain
and few visitors make it a paradise for hard core hikers and
climbers.
Number of Visitors: 1,862.
Services: Information, picnic areas, restrooms.
Cocos Island National Park
Size: 2400 hectares land, 97,235 hectares marine.
Location: Pacific Ocean, 532 kilometers off the coast of Cabo
Blanco.
Description: Accessible only by ocean going boats, this uninhabited
island, surrounded by an extraordinarily transparent turquoise
sea is Costa Rica's "Treasure Isle." Several tour
companies offer multi-day tours.
Number of Visitors: 347
Services: Information, restrooms, potable water.
Corcovado National Park
Size: 54,538 hectares land, 2400 hectares marine.
Location: Puntarenas Province on Osa Peninsula.
Description: Pacific tropical rainforest with 5000 mm annual
rainfall. This virtually unaltered primary forest has tropical
ecosystems found nowhere else and is one of the most important
protection sites in the world for a number of mammals on the
verge of extinction. Difficult access has kept the number
of visitors down.
Number of Visitors: 8,009
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, restrooms, showers,
potable water.
Diria National Refuge
Size: 4,000 hectares
Location: Guanacaste Province Santa Cruz.
Description: Dry tropical forest and in it's higher parts
humid tropical forest. This forest protects the aquifers that
form the fountainheads of the Diria, Enmedio, Tigre and Verde
rivers.
There is an important variety of fauna such as deer, howler
monkeys, anteaters and peccary as well as 134 species of birds.
There are also several precious wood tree species. It was
first named a protected zone on July 9th, 1991 and then two
years later it was declared a National Wildlife Refuge.
Number of Visitors: Opened July 25, 2004
Services: Information.
Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge
Size: 5,013 hectares land, 4,436 hectares marine.
Location: Southern border of Costa Rica and Panama on the
Caribbean coast.
Description: Forest, grassland and mangrove swamp, but known
for the five kilometers of coral reef popular among snorkelers.
Number of Visitors: No information available.
Services: Information, picnic areas, primitive latrines.
Guanacaste National Park
Size: 32,512 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste Province, 36 kilometers north of Liberia.
Description: Ranges widely from tropical dry forest to cloud
forest. Origin of the Rio Tempisque, principal freshwater
source for Guanacaste Province. Important protection for large
felines, as well as 300 species of birds and 5000 species
of butterflies.
Number of visitors: No statistics available.
Services: Information, primitive latrines, scientific station
and potable water.
Guayabo National Monument
Size: 218 hectares.
Location: Cartago Province, 19 kilometers northeast of Turrialba.
Description: Considered the country's most important archeological
site, with significant structures dating to 1000 years before
Christ. Some consider Guayabo an important New Age spiritual
center.
Number of Visitors: 20,945.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, primitive latrines,
archeological research station, showers, potable water, exhibits,
parking.
Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve
Size: 9,154 hectares.
Location: Part of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, southeast
of Valle de la Estrella, 45 kilometers from Limon.
Description: Abrupt topography with more than 3500 mm of rainfall
per year leave this mountainous tropical forest full of dangerous
rivers and waterfalls. Protects the Bribri indigenous reserve.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available, but very few.
Services: None.
Irazu Volcano National Park
Size: 2,309 hectares.
Location: Along Central Volcanic Chain, 31 kilometers northeast
of Cartago.
Description: Active volcano with spectacular views of both
coasts and Braulio Carrillo National Park from the peak.
Number of Visitors: 111,770.
Services: Information, picnic areas, restrooms, parking.
Isla Guayabo Biological Reserve
Islas Negritos/Isla de los Pajaros
Location: Gulf of Nicoya, at the extreme ends
Description: Chain of uninhabited islands designated to protect
sea bird habitat.
Number of Visitors: Closed to public
Services: None
Juan Castro Blanco National Park
Size: 14,258 hectares.
Location: Alajuela Province, east of Ciudad Quesada.
northern zone, with origins of the Platanar, Tora, Aguas Zarcas,
Tres Amigos and La Vieja rivers. Large tracts of primary forest.
One of the newest parks, dedicated in June, 1992.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available.
Services: None.
La Amistad International Park
Size: 193,929 hectares.
Location: Talamanca mountain range.
Description: A crown jewel of international cooperation, with
Panama protecting another 207,000 hectares on its side of
the border. Declared a "biosphere reserve" by UNESCO
in 1982 and a "world patrimony site" in 1983. One
of the largest unaltered tropical forests in the world, encompassing
climate zones from 100 meters to 3549 meters above sea level,
and protects a number of Indian reserves. An "umbrella"
protection area for several national and private parks.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available.
Services: None.
Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Park
Size: 112 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste province on the Pacific coast, 10 kilometers
north of Tamarindo on Playa Grande.
Description: Dedicated in 1991 to protect one of last nesting
sites in the world for leatherback turtles.
Number of Visitors: No information available.
Services: Information, picnic areas, potable water, parking.
Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve
Size: 2,279 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste Province, 15 kilometers southwest of
Bagaces.
Description: Tropical dry forest, significant for fresh water
springs and a large number of tropical hardwoods in danger
of extinction, such as ron ron, pochote, cristobol and cocobolo.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available.
Services: Information, picnic areas, potable water, parking.
Manuel Antonio National Park
Size: 683 hectares land, 55,000 hectares marine.
Location: Puntarenas Province, 157 kilometers south of San
Jose, 7 kilometers south of Quepos.
Description: This tiny patch of beautiful land with its palm
lined beaches and titi monkeys has been trampled by nearly
a quarter million travelers a year.
Number of Visitors: 191,493.
Services: Information, picnic areas, primitive latrines, showers,
potable water.
Marino Ballena National Park
Size: 100 hectares land, 5375 hectares marine.
Location: Puntarenas Province on Pacific coast, from Punta
Uvita to Punta Pinuela.
Description: Considered a critical breeding habitat for a
number of marine species. Also contains protected beach habitat
and some of the only coral reefs on the Pacific coast.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available, but very few
due to difficult access.
Services: Information only.
Palo Verde National Park
Size: 16,804 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste Province, 30 kilometers west of Canas.
Description: One of most diverse ecological locations, with
15 different topographical zones from mangrove swamps to evergreen
forests. One of the most important migratory zones in Central
America for waterfowl.
Number of Visitors: 2,580.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, scientific station,
potable water and restrooms.
Poas Volcano National Park
Size: 5,600 hectares.
Location: Along the Central Volcanic Chain, 37 kilometers
north of Alajuela.
Description: Famous for beautiful scenery and variety of habitats
including cloud forest. One of the most heavily visited sites
in the country. The volcano has been active since 1894, causing
extensive environmental damage to surrounding area. Check
with Park Service before visiting for park hours or inquire
with the link below.
Number of Visitors: 174,396.
Services: Information, picnic areas, primitive latrines, exhibits,
parking.
Find out about Poas lodging and tours
Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Size: 14,083 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste and Alajuela provinces, 27 kilometers
northeast of Liberia.
Description: Includes Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, a freshwater
volcanic lagoon, is one of the country's most important preservation
area for large felines.
Number of visitors: No statistics available.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, potable water,
restrooms.
Santa Rosa National Park
Size: 37,117 hectares land, 78,000 hectares marine area.
Location: Guanacaste Province, 36 kilometers north of Liberia.
Description: Dry Pacific forest with important marine turtle
nesting sites.
Number of visitors: 37,914.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, scientific station,
primitive latrines, showers, potable water, exhibits and parking.
Tapanti National Park
Size: 6,080 hectares.
Location: Part of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve in District
of Orosi, Paraiso of Cartago.
Description: Converted from a national wildlife refuge in
1992, varies from low mountain forest to premontane forest,
enjoys up to 8000 mm of rainfall every year. Well maintained
dirt roads make it a popular destination for mountain bikers.
Number of Visitors: 18,408
Services: Information, picnic areas, restrooms, potable water,
exhibits and parking.
Tortuguero National Park
Size: 18,946 hectares land, 52,265 hectares marine.
Location: Limon Province on Caribbean coast, 80 kilometers
north of Limon.
Description: Tropical lowland park lying across a system of
natural lakes and canals, one of the last remaining and most
important breeding grounds for the green turtle.
Number of Visitors: 19,741
Services: Information, primitive latrines. Accessible only
by boat; tour companies operating in the park provide complete
services.
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