Arenal Volcano Hiking Trails, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
La Fortuna is a must for any traveler to Costa Rica. The little town in the Alajuela Province, boasts a multitude of activities for budget and luxurious travelers alike. (Check out La Fortuna Waterfall and Tabacon River Hot Springs). For the active and athletic, Arenal Volcano National Park is a great half day adventure.
Arenal Volcano erupted back in 1968 and laid waste to much of the surrounding area with intense lava flows but as with all things in nature after disaster strikes, regrowth follows soon after. The park lays on the edge of the lava flow and you can even hike up to a viewpoint on top of the volcanic rock left behind.
The park entrance is a short drive out of town along the main road to the northwest from La Fortuna. It is mostly paved until the last stretch on a dirt road that can still be passed with a normal car. The visitor center can offer maps of the hiking trails and there are bathrooms and parking as well. Admission for foreigners is $15 USD. A new cafe and lookout are in the works of being built and will soon offer a place for visitors to grab food and drinks. In the meantime, I recommend packing plenty of water and snacks to take on the trails.
You’ll have to decide on which loop to hike, one takes an estimated 60-90 minutes while the other is 2 hours or so. Each starts at the visitor center and reaches the lookout point before continuing back to the visitor center. The Jungle trail will take you on a nice leisurely stroll that loops out towards the duck pond until you reach the bridge, at which point it becomes much more precarious. The Lava Flow Trail is significantly more steep and crosses over the the lava flow as its name would suggest.
