Visiting The Park
You can walk Rincon de la Vieja's main trail to the crater from either the Santa Maria or Las Espuelas ranger stations. Whether on foot, horseback or a combination of the two, this is quite simply one of the best hikes in the country, if not the best. A variety of elevations and habitats reveals hot springs, sulphur pools, bubbling mud pots and fields of purple orchids, plus a great smoking volcano at the top to reward you for your efforts. Animals in the area include all the big cats, shy tapir, red deer, collared peccary, two-toed sloth, and howler, white-faced and spider monkeys. Birders will have a chance to spot the weird-looking three-wattled bellbird, the Montezuma oropendola, the trogon and the spectacled owl, among others. From the Las Pailas puesto the summit is 7.7km away. Theoretically, if you start out early in the morning you could get to the top and back down before nightfall, but only if you don't mind rushing. The summit (1916m) of Rincon de la Vieja presents a barren lunar landscape, with a smoking hole surrounded by black ash and a pretty freshwater lake, Lago los Jilgueros, to the south. You can get hammered by wind at the top; bring a sweater and windbreaker. If you don't fancy the climb up the volcano, more gentle walks in the Las Pailas sector take you to fumaroles and mud pots, and you can also hike to two waterfalls, the cataratas escondidas .
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