Juan Castro Blanco National Park, part of the Central Volcanic Range Conservation Area, is dominated by three volcanoes:  El Viego Volcano (6962’), Porvenir Volcano (7438’), and Platanar Volcano (7450’) - the only active volcano of the three.  The park is a primary cloud and rainforest with primary and secondary woodlands and many thermal hot springs. The trails are rugged and mostly unmarked as the park is relatively unexplored.  Archeological finds in the area reveal that this area was a meeting ground for cultures from the North and South continents.

Juan Castro Blanco National Park is mainly known for bird watching as you can find the black turkey, peacock, falcon, and quetzal among the 107 species of birds in the park.  There are also 44 species of amphibians and 30 mammals including monkeys, coyotes, armadillos, jaguars, and goats. A large variety of orchids adds to the beauty of this park.

The temperature ranges from 60 degrees F to 80 degrees F and the annual rainfall is 140”. Established in 1992, Juan Castro Blanco National Park consists of 35,700 acres and is located about 60 miles north of San Jose in the Alajuela Province at Lat -10.30 N, Long 84.366 W. Pack a lightweight jacket, raingear, and of course your camera!