Last Updated: October 11, 2024
While Monteverde gets most of the attention as Costa Rica’s cloud forest destination, there is another less visited option. Los Quetzales National Park (Parque Nacional Los Quetzales) offers travelers the same cool and fresh cloud forest climate. Moss-covered hardwoods, alpine plants, and highland birds thrive there. The main draw is the chance to spot the park’s namesake Resplendent Quetzal, an exotic crimson and iridescent green bird with flowing tail feathers. Los Quetzales National Park isn’t well covered in the guidebooks so we wanted to share our experiences to help you plan your visit.
Getting There
Though Los Quetzales National Park encompasses a massive 5,000 hectare (12,000 acre) swath of land in south central Costa Rica, most visitors access the park via the ranger station near the town of San Gerardo de Dota. This small ranger station is located at mile marker 76 near Cerro de la Muerta on the Interamericana highway. It’s about an hour and a half from San José, one hour from San Isidro del General, and two hours from Dominical.
Four-wheel drive is not necessary to reach the ranger station, as the highway is smooth and nicely paved (though very windy and steep).
An important consideration if you’re visiting the park on a day trip is to arrive early. Visibility at the top of the mountain can be difficult in the afternoon when the rain and clouds roll in. You don’t want to be navigating the curvy highway at night in the fog so be sure to plan your trip accordingly.
Trails
The park contains eight trails of varying length and difficulty. Not all of them are always open. Here are the two that are used the most.
Circular Trail
For a short visit there is a circular trail that only a quarter-mile long (400 meters). The terrain if fairly flat and is used mostly for birders.
Ojo de Agua Trail
This is a longer more rugged trail at about 1.25 miles (2 km) long. It goes downhill and ends, so the way back up is more challenging (uphill). When we did this, instead of returning up the hill, we looped back up to the ranger station on the public road (Camino Público). This was a dirt road with a lot of trees all around. While it did climb back up the mountain, it was easier than going back up the Ojo de Agua Trail.
There were only a few cars using the public road during our walk. In total, the walk took us about 4 hours, walking slowly to try to see birds and animals.
Other Trails
If you are staying locally, there is also a much longer 5.6 mile (9 km) trail that runs from the ranger station to San Gerardo de Dota. It’s best to ask the ranger or your lodge about the conditions beforehand. We have heard at times that it is closed.
Here is a trail map with more details.
What You’ll See
Due to its location high atop the Talamanca mountains, the park is typically entrenched in a haze of thick clouds. Since the park is 6,500-9,800 feet (2,000-3,000 meters) above sea level, the flora and fauna are a lot different from what you’ll see at lower altitudes. In the montane and premontane forest lives a multitude of birds and animals, many of which don’t exist anywhere else in Costa Rica.
Birds
More than 200 species of birds have been spotted in the park. On our visit, we weren’t lucky enough to spot a Resplendent Quetzal but did see beautiful trogans, hummingbirds, redstarts, wrens, and woodpeckers.
If you really want to see a Resplendent Quetzal, we recommend hiring a guide in San Gerardo de Dota. Quetzals are shy birds so it’s best to go with someone who knows where to find them. We have much more information in our post; Resplendent Quetzal Birds in Costa Rica.
Animals
The park is home to Baird’s Tapir, collared peccaries, tayras, coyotes, deer, monkeys, pumas, jaguars, and other big cats.
A highlight of our visit was a near-sighting of a Baird’s Tapir. We heard this giant creature clumsily tromping through the dense forest along the trail just meters from where we were walking.
We also thought we found some puma (mountain lion) tracks, but upon further evaluation by a reader (see Taylor’s comment below) they were probably some type of dog or maybe a coyote.
Planning Your Visit
Hours
Los Quetzales National Park is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Park Admission
$10 adults, $5 children
What to Wear
Temps in this mountainous region average 65-70° F (18-21° C) during the day and cooler at night. With the mist, it can feel downright cold so be sure to wear light pants and dress in layers.
Most importantly, don’t forget a rain jacket. Even if it looks bright and sunny in the morning, rain and mist can move in quickly.
The ranger station does have a changing room if you need it.
Restaurant
While the park itself doesn’t offer any food or drink, there is a large cafeteria-style restaurant across the highway from the ranger station. This is a great place to warm up with a cup of coffee and some authentic snacks or a hot meal.
Conclusion
Los Quetzales National Park is a great addition to your Costa Rica travel itinerary. The cloud forest is unlike any other climate in Costa Rica and definitely worth a stop. Due to its location in south central Costa Rica, Los Quetzales is easy to get to from the popular beach towns on the Central Pacific Coast. And unlike Monteverde to the north, the Los Quetzales cloud forest is off-the-tourist trail for those seeking a more authentic travel experience.
Last Updated: October 11, 2024
Looking for more information about this area? Check out these posts:
San Gerardo: A Hideaway in the Cloud Forest – This is the nearest place to stay near Los Quetzales National Park. This post includes what the town is like, along with hotel and restaurant recommendations.
San Gerardo Waterfall – For a nice hike along a swift river, there is the San Gerardo Waterfall Trail.
San Isidro de El General – If you visit this park, you may drive through this locals’ city on the way to or from. It’s worth a stop to soak in the Costa Rican culture.
