Costa Rica National Parks

One of the things that makes Costa Rica unique is the amount of protected land it holds. Beginning in the 1960s, Costa Rica started putting parcels of land aside for conservation to protect it from deforestation. Today, Costa Rica has dedicated an impressive 25% of its national territory to conservation. This includes over 160 protected areas, with 30+ national parks, 51 wildlife refuges, 13 forest reserves, 8 biological reserves, plus national monuments, wetlands, and other protected zones.

These protected spaces are located throughout the country and offer many different types of experiences. Some protect nesting sea turtles or offer spectacular wildlife viewing, while others showcase volcanoes and waterfalls.

Below, we’ll share some of our favorite national parks and reserves with links to more information. We have visited every one of them over our 10+ years living in Costa Rica. We’ll give parks with volcanoes, accessible options for families, challenging treks for hiking enthusiasts, and some off-the-beaten-path options as well.

arenal volcano with palm trees in the front

Here's What We'll Cover:

Costa Rica National Parks Map

Best National Parks in Costa Rica

Corcovado National Park

Known for: Amazing biodiversity & wildlife viewing
Visit from: Drake Bay or Puerto Jimenez
Best for: Off-the-beaten-path hiking. Trails vary in difficulty from moderate to very difficult.

While Corcovado may not be easy to get to, it is well worth the effort. This remote park located on the Osa Peninsula offers a chance to see raw, untouched rainforest and some of the country’s most exotic wildlife. Scarlet Macaws, Baird’s Tapir, and all four types of monkeys that live in Costa Rica can be discovered, and if you’re lucky, big cats too.

Corcovado has a large network of trails that span the peninsula, but most people visit just one ranger station as a day trip. From Drake Bay, you can take a boat to San Pedrillo or Sirena Ranger Stations. From Puerto Jimenez on the other side of the Osa, you can access La Leona or the newer El Tigre entrance, just north of town. Overnight stays are also possible. All visits to the park require a guide and prior reservations.

For more information, read our posts:

a squirrel monkey climbing a vine in corcovado national park
looking from the top of the staircase at rio celeste waterfall in tenorio volcano park

Tenorio Volcano National Park

Known for: The bright blue Rio Celeste Waterfall
Visit from: Bijagua, La Fortuna/Arenal, or Nuevo Arenal
Best for: Anyone up for a moderately difficult hike.

Tenorio Volcano National Park has become very popular in recent years as an off-the-beaten-path destination in Costa Rica. It is located in the rural northern part of the country, where tourism is just beginning to grow.

While the park has scenic trails that pass through lush primary rainforest and cloud forest, the Rio Celeste Waterfall is the focal point. Photos of this waterfall might have you wondering if the bright blue hue is real. It is—and to see it in person is unforgettable!

For more information, including the best times to visit to see the blue color, read our post Rio Celeste Essential Tips.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Known for: Easy wildlife viewing, especially monkeys
Visit from: Manuel Antonio/Quepos or Uvita/Dominical/Ojochal
Best for: Casual hiking. Good for families as trails are easier.

This popular park on the central Pacific coast offers easy access to the rainforest. It is located right in the busy tourist town of Manuel Antonio and has many different options for trails. You can see wildlife like sloths, lizards, and birds, but it is best known for its abundant, and very social, monkeys.

Manuel Antonio National Park also has a protected marine zone with three beautiful beaches, including a calm cove that is especially good for swimming.

For more information, including tips on how to avoid the crowds, read our post Manuel Antonio National Park.

a close up of a white faced monkey in manuel antonio national park
red bridge in the monteverde cloud forest reserve

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Known for: Biologically rich cloud forest
Visit from: Monteverde
Best for: Those looking to experience the unique cloud forest environment. Trails vary in difficulty from easy to moderate.

Costa Rica has an extremely variable climate. You can be soaking up the sun at the beach one minute, and only a few hours later, be bundling up in the cool cloud forest.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the best places in Costa Rica to experience the biologically diverse cloud forest. Not only is this park noteworthy for its vast flora and fauna, the experience of walking through this type of environment alone is memorable. Thick moss covers nearly all the greenery, vines taper from treetops, and misty clouds come and go with the shifting winds.

For more information, including a description of the park’s trails, read our post The Famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Tortuguero National Park

Known for: Wildlife viewing and sea turtle nesting
Visit from: Tortuguero
Best for: Accessible wildlife viewing (by boat). Good for all ages and mobility levels.

Tortuguero National Park is unique in that it offers wildlife viewing by both land and water. The canals of the village are one of the best ways to see wildlife. By small boat or canoe, you meander along the edge of the dense mangrove and forest to sneak up on animals like spider monkeys, howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, freshwater turtles, caiman, crocodiles, and green basilisk lizards, as well as many kinds of birds.

The park also encompasses protected beaches for nesting sea turtles. Tortuguero is one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites in the world, with four different kinds of turtles coming to its shores to lay eggs.

For more information, including the best times of year to see turtles, read our post Tortuguero National Park: A Wildlife Hot Spot.

on a boat in the canals at tortuguero national park

Best National Parks for Wildlife Viewing

These national parks and reserves offer the best chances to see animals and birds:

Manuel Antonio National Park: Famous for its playful monkeys and easy wildlife spotting. Sloths, iguanas, and colorful birds are regularly seen along the well-maintained trails, making it perfect for families and first-time visitors.

Cahuita National Park: Easy wildlife viewing along a rainforest-filled coastal trail. The 5.1 mile (8.3 km) trail offers the chance to spot sloths, howler monkeys, and white-faced capuchins, plus guided snorkeling opportunities at one of Costa Rica’s largest coral reefs.

Palo Verde National Park: A well-known birding destination that’s also great for seeing monkeys. These wetlands in Guanacaste are best explored by boat.

Corcovado National Park: The crown jewel for serious wildlife enthusiasts. Home to jaguars, tapirs, scarlet macaws, and all four Costa Rican monkey species in one of the world’s most biodiverse places.

Tortuguero National Park: Unique canal-based wildlife viewing by boat offers close encounters with monkeys, caimans, and an incredible variety of birds. Plus, sea turtle nesting during rainy season.

close up of a red scarlet macaw bird in a tree in corcovado national park
A Scarlet Macaw in Corcovado National Park

Volcano National Parks and Reserves

Costa Rica sits on the Ring of Fire, making it home to several spectacular volcanoes.

Arenal Volcano National Park: Costa Rica’s most famous volcano offers hiking trails with stunning views of the perfectly conical Arenal. While no longer actively erupting, the park takes you along some of the old lava flows.

Arenal 1968 Trail: Named after Arenal’s last major eruption, this trail also gives nice volcano views. The facility has a restaurant onsite.

Mirador El Silencio Reserve (Arenal): A private reserve with some of the most spectacular volcano views in the area. Perfect for those seeking fewer crowds and pristine forest trails.

Poas Volcano National Park: Home to one of the world’s largest active craters. The easily accessible viewing platform lets you peer into the massive crater (weather permitting).

Irazu Volcano National Park: Costa Rica’s highest volcano offers lunar-like landscapes and grand crater views (weather permitting).

Rincon de la Vieja National Park: An active volcano with interesting geothermal features like bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and acidic pools. Las Pailas Trail offers close-up views of volcanic activity, while longer trails lead to waterfalls.

Tenorio Volcano National Park: While the volcano itself is dormant, the park is famous for the stunning Rio Celeste Waterfall. The mineral-rich volcanic waters of nearby rivers create an out-of-this world blue color.

arenal volcano with the lake in front and blue sky
View of Arenal Volcano from the national park's Peninsula sector

Easiest to Access National Parks

For parks that are easy to access, try these:

Manuel Antonio National Park: Just steps from hotels and restaurants, with paved pathways and clearly marked trails. Perfect for families with young children or anyone with mobility concerns.

Arenal Volcano National Park: Well-maintained, mostly flat trails, plus easy access from downtown La Fortuna.

Carara National Park: Located right off the main highway between San Jose and Jaco. Has one handicap accessible trail plus several easy to moderate paths through beautiful rainforest.

Irazu Volcano National Park: Drive almost to the crater rim, then just a short walk to the viewing area. The road is paved and fine for regular vehicles.

Poas Volcano National Park: Similar to Irazu, with easy vehicle access and a short, paved walkway to the crater viewpoint. Popular with day-trippers from San Jose.

Ecocentro Danaus: Private reserve near La Fortuna with a short trail, butterfly garden, and excellent wildlife viewing with minimal walking required.

accessible boardwalk trail at manuel antonio national park
The accessible boardwalk trail at Manuel Antonio National Park

Off-the-Beaten Path National Parks and Reserves

If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, here are some lesser visited options:

Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve: Costa Rica’s first protected area remains wild and uncrowded. Those up for the hard trek will be well-rewarded, as the trail ends at a pristine beach.

Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge: A remote reserve on the Caribbean coast protecting 25,910 acres (10,485 hectares) of jungle and coastline. Trails take you to scenic ocean viewpoints and secluded trails for excellent wildlife viewing.

Rincon de la Vieja National Park (Santa Maria Sector): The remote Santa Maria entrance offers camping and challenging trails to hidden waterfalls and hot springs, with virtually no other visitors.

Tapanti National Park: Hidden in the Talamanca Mountains, this lush park is known for its rushing rivers, misty trails, and incredible bird diversity in a peaceful mountain setting.

Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve: A hidden gem in Guanacaste’s dry forest that stays lush and green year-round. This 6,538-acre (2,646-hectare) reserve attracts 250+ bee species, is great for birdwatching, and has a small but beautiful waterfall.

Madre Verde Nature Reserve: A 76-acre (31-hectare) private reserve near Palmares showcasing forest regeneration. Visited mostly by Costa Ricans on weekends.

Diria National Park: One of Costa Rica’s least visited and harder to access parks. It protects important dry forest habitat in Guanacaste Province.

hot springs through a river canyon at santa maria sector in rincon de la vieja
The hot springs at Rincon's Santa Maria sector

Explore All Our National Park Guides by Region

Northern Zone

La Fortuna/Arenal

  • Arenal Volcano National Park: Explore trails around Costa Rica’s most iconic volcano for stunning views.
  • Arenal 1968 Trail: Private reserve with similar views to the national park.
  • Mirador El Silencio Reserve: One of our favorite private reserves with fantastic volcano views and pristine forest trails.
  • Ecocentro Danaus: Easy wildlife viewing with daytime walks, nights tours, butterfly gardens, and sloth spotting.
  • Bogarin Trail: Perfect for seeing sloths, birds, and other wildlife without leaving La Fortuna.
  • Cerro Chato: Dormant volcano with crater lake (official access currently closed).

Bijagua & Northern Border

Monteverde

A view of the mountains in Monteverde Costa Rica with lush vegetation and clouds
Cloud forest view at Curi-Cancha Reserve in Monteverde

San Ramon 

Nuevo Arenal

  • El Jilguero Ecotourism Project: Little-known rural tourism project on the backside of Tenorio Volcano. Rustic trails lead through cloud forest and rainforest to volcanic fumaroles (steam vents) and bubbling rivers.

Central Pacific Coast (Jaco, Manuel Antonio)

  • Manuel Antonio National Park: Costa Rica’s most visited park, combining beaches, rainforest, and easy to see wildlife.
  • Rainmaker Park: Private reserve with rustic suspension bridges through primary rainforest and waterfalls.
  • Carara National Park: Mix of tropical dry forest and rainforest. Famous for incredible bird diversity and easy access from the highway.
a mom and baby at playa manuel antonio costa rica
Main beach inside Manuel Antonio National Park

Southern Zone (Uvita, Dominical, Osa Peninsula)

Central Valley & Southern Mountains (San Jose Area, Turrialba, Orosi, San Gerardo de Dota)

a man walking through lush rainforest at tapanti national park
Lush surrounds at Tapanti National Park

Guanacaste Province

  • Palo Verde National Park: A biologically rich river and wetlands system typically explored by boat. Known for birds and monkeys.
  • Rincon de la Vieja National Park: Both Las Pailas and Santa Maria sectors offer volcano hiking, hot springs, and geothermal features.
  • Santa Rosa National Park: Historic park protecting important dry forest and significant battle sites from Costa Rican history.
  • Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve: Small, little-known reserve known for bees, butterflies, and dry forest ecology.
  • Diria National Park: One of the least visited parks in Costa Rica, with limited infrastructure. Protects tropical dry forest between the beach and inland areas.

Nicoya Peninsula (Santa Teresa, Montezuma, Samara)

Caribbean Coast (Tortuguero, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca)

miss may ocean view at gandoca manzanillo refuge in costa rica
Beautiful viewpoint at the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge

Essential Tips for Visiting National Parks in Costa Rica

Cost

Almost all national parks and reserves in Costa Rica have entrance fees. These typically range from $5-18, with discounts for kids. The money goes toward park maintenance and facilities.

Tickets

Reservations

Some national parks in Costa Rica require advanced reservations. These currently include:

  • Braulio Carrillo National Park (Barva Volcano sector only)
  • Carara National Park
  • Chirripo National Park
  • Corcovado National Park
  • Irazu Volcano National Park
  • Isla San Lucas National Park
  • Los Quetzales National Park
  • Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Poas Volcano National Park
  • Rincon de la Vieja National Park
  • Tapanti National Park
  • Tenorio Volcano National Park
  • Tortuguero National Park

Tickets can be purchased directly through the Costa Rica government’s SINAC website. This is the official ticketing website and will get you the best price. You can pay with a credit card. You will need to enter your passport information.

Be sure to buy tickets in advance for these parks as they don’t sell tickets at the ranger station. We recommend saving the ticket with the bar code to your phone in case you don’t have cell phone service at the national park.

For other national parks not on the list, tickets can be purchased when you arrive by credit card.

Ticket Limits

Some national parks have limits on the number of daily visitors. This is to help reduce the impact of visitors on local wildlife.

For popular parks like Manuel Antonio National Park and Corcovado National Park, it’s best to buy your tickets well in advance so they don’t sell out. If you’re traveling during a busy time of year like Christmas, New Year’s, or Easter, this is particularly important.

Do You Need a Guide?

Most national parks and reserves in Costa Rica have well-maintained, easy-to-follow trails so you’re very unlikely to get lost.

Nature guides add value by helping you appreciate what you’re seeing along the trail. Parks and reserves typically don’t have any information, so it can be nice to have a local guide with you to explain about a volcano’s history of eruptions, the ecology of the cloud forest, etc.

If you want to see wildlife, guides are a must. We always recommend doing at least one guided wildlife tour during your trip to see the most. Guides know where to look for birds and animals and can spot more with their trained eyes. Plus, they have powerful scopes that can let you see wildlife that’s high up in a tree (e.g., sloths).

Here’s a link to our post on Naturalist Guides in Costa Rica with more information.

people on a guided tour at manuel antonio national park
A guided tour we took at Manuel Antonio National Park

What to Bring/Wear

Although what you will need for a national park will vary by park and season, here are the essentials for most hikes:

Closed-toe hiking shoes: These are best due to uneven terrain and biting insects. Sneakers are enough for most popular hikes, but if you’re planning on more difficult treks (e.g., Corcovado National Park), opt for hiking boots. If you’re traveling during rainy season (May through November), expect your shoes to get wet. Some people bring more than one pair since they can take some time to dry in the humidity.

Lightweight clothing: Quick-dry clothing or lightweight cotton is best.

Lightweight pants: If you’re prone to mosquito bites, lightweight hiking pants can be a great option. Shorts are fine too; you will probably just need to wear repellent.

Lightweight rain jacket: For travel during rainy season or if you’re visiting a rainy area like the Osa Peninsula. The weather in the cloud forest can change quickly too.

Sun protection: Hat and sunscreen

Insect repellent: Especially for the wet months (May through November)

Reusable water bottle: All national parks now ban single-use plastics, and some reserves also discourage them.

Snacks: Most national parks don’t have food available. Note that food is banned in some parks, like Manuel Antonio National Park.

Small day pack: To carry your essentials

For more information, including the specific repellents and sunscreens we recommend, read our posts Packing for Costa Rica and Day Pack Essentials for Costa Rica.

More Things to Do

Costa Rica offers tons of adventures beyond national parks. Explore our Things to Do articles for 150+ activities all across the country. We cover everything from waterfalls and hanging bridges to the best hot springs.

National Park Tours We Recommend

Here are some national park tours that we have done ourselves and can help you book. Booking through us costs the same (or sometimes less) and helps support our website! Learn more about our Travel Agency.