 Costa
Rica Parks
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Costa Rica National Parks
Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge: This nearly 10,000
hectare refuge is important as a wintering site for migrant waterfowl,
as well as a year-round habitat for resident wetland species. From October
to April, when the migrant birds are at the refuge, the variety of species
and sheer quantity of individuals creates a spectacle that even non-birdwatchers
will marvel at. Among the many birds usually present then are: Wood Stork,
White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Black-necked Stilt, Anhinga, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck,
Snail Kite, American Widgeon, Northern Shoveler, and Blue-winged Teal.
One species that birdwatchers hope to see here is the Nicaraguan Grackle,
since in Costa Rica it is found only in marshy areas just south of Lake
Nicaragua.
During the winter residents' visit, the habitat at Caño Negro
undergoes a dramatic seasonal change. With the water accumulated in the
rainy season, a shallow lake of some 800 ha. is formed. As the dry season
progresses from December to March, the lake dries up. By April, all that
is left is the main channel of the Río Frio (Cold River).
Getting there: Most of the increasing number of visitors to the
area come from hotels in the San Carlos region and drive to the town of
Los Chiles, near the Nicaraguan border. Here a number of boats are kept
at the town dock that can be hired for the approximately 15-kilometer trip
upriver to Playuelas on the northern edge of the refuge. However, in March
1998, a bridge was completed across the Río Frio making it possible
to drive to the actual village of Caño Negro. The turn off to the
bridge is several kilometers before Los Chiles (at Jobo?).
An alternative approach is to drive to Upala (especially for those coming
from Guanacaste) and continue east on a gravel road for 36 km. until reaching
the village of Caño Negro. Here dugout canoes can be hired for exploration
of the marsh area. (Given the nature of the principal kind of habitat protected
at Caño Negro, there are at present no hiking trails.)
Buses from San José service both the towns of Upala and Los Chiles.
There is a bus that runs from Upala to Caño Negro.
Fishing: The Río Frio is just now becoming discovered
by vacationing fishermen, and although it doesn't yet have much infrastructure
available, it has good fishing for snook, guapote, alligator gar, drum,
and huge tarpon (up to 90 kg., by some sight estimates). The legal fishing
season for this area is from September 1 to March 31.
Climate: Daytime temperatures are quite warm and it is usually
humid. Although Caño Negro is on the Atlantic side of Costa Rica,
it is far enough inland in the northern plains to have a weather pattern
with a short but distinct dry season from January to April.
Arenal National Park: Undisputedly one
of Costa Rica's foremost tourist attractions, the highly eruptive Arenal
Volcano is the centerpiece of this new national park declared in October
of 1994. In addition to including in the national park system what is currently
one of the world's most active volcanoes, the area now under park service
protection encompasses the watersheds of several rivers and streams that
flow into Lake Arenal, the country's most important source of hydroelectric
power.
The imposing Arenal Volcano rises in nearly perfect conical form out
of the western end of the San Carlos plains. Its periodic eruptions of
ash and molten rock, accompanied by thundering sonic blasts, are an unforgettable
experience anytime, but become extremely spectacular after dark. When the
light of day has dimmed, the glowing red igneous rocks ejected with each
eruption trace fiery arches in the night sky before crashing down on the
steep slopes and finally extinguishing themselves.
Columns of lava also push their way down the sides of the volcano and
pieces of the advancing sections continually break off under the weight
of new flows bearing down from above. At night, these falling pieces are
visible as chunks of rolling red rocks, adding to the natural fireworks
display between the frequent eruptions.
From the 600-meter elevation where visitors are allowed to approach
atop a lava flow from the 1968 eruption, Arenal rises another 1000 meters
to its 1,633-meter summit, and although the peak is still 3 kilometers
away, it is definitely "in your face!"
There is little vegetation or wildlife to be seen in the immediate area
of the main viewing site since the effects of the major devastating eruption
of 1968 are only slowly being overcome. Nevertheless, this area offers
a unique opportunity to witness the early stages of lava flow colonization
by a handful of plant species adapted to the task. Farther away there are
other areas which escaped direct damage and provide better wildlife viewing
in the forested sections, however, as yet the park service does not maintain
any well-marked trails in these areas, which include the dormant Volcano
Chato to the southeast of Arenal.
Getting there: A bit of a long way from anywhere, Arenal National
Park is most quickly reached from San José by taking the PanAmerican
Highway west to the town of San Ramón and the road north through
Angeles, La Tigra, and Chachagua to La Fortuna. Driving west out of La
Fortuna, the road takes you 180 degrees around the volcano to the park
ranger station.
There is public bus service from both San José and Ciudad Quesada
to La Fortuna.
An alternative, and equally scenic, route for those coming from Guanacaste
is to take the PanAmerican Highway to the town of Cañas and then
drive up into the hills to the town of Tilarán and follow Lake Arenal
around its northern shore to the base of the volcano.
Fishing: see Lake
Arenal.
Climate: Being under the influence of Caribbean slope weather
patterns, Arenal Volcano receives anywhere from 3.5 to 5 meters of rain
per year. Even when it isn't raining, clouds often gather around the volcano's
peak, obliterating a full view of the mountain. At lower elevations within
the park (e.g., the viewing area at the volcano's western base), the temperatures
are warm during the day, but can get chilly at night, especially if there
is a breeze.
History: The settlers that colonized this region in the early
part of the 20th century referred to Arenal Volcano as "the mountain" and
apparently, despite its conical shape, did not realize it for what it is.
Thus, when the quiescent volcano exploded on July 29, 1968, producing a
cloud of hot volcanic gases and covering several square kilometers with
lava, some 87 people living in the areas of Tabacón and Pueblo Nuevo
lost their lives.
Since this tragic eruption (the first following at least 300 years of
inactivity, according to some geologists), Arenal has remained active,
but fortunately at a level posing little threat to visitors.
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