Quebrada González
Short trails.
MongeNajera — CC BY-SA 3.0 · MongeNajera — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ragnhild&Neil Crawford from Sweden — CC BY-SA 2.0 · MongeNajera — CC BY-SA 3.0
A vast national park of dense rainforest, mountains and deep valleys, starting minutes from San José's suburbs and dropping to the Caribbean lowlands, crossed by the highway to Limón through the Zurquí tunnel, so travellers pass in minutes from the city into endless forest. Giant trees cover the slopes with umbrella-sized leaves, tree ferns and waterfalls streaming down green walls. Clear rivers run through it, and others golden yellow from volcanic minerals, where the two waters meet side by side in two colours. Its easiest trails are in the Quebrada González sector on the highway, short forest loops for watching birds such as toucans and hummingbirds. Higher up, the Barva volcano sector has a lake in a forested crater. Rain falls almost daily, and fog is sometimes thick on the road. Rain is heavy most of the year in the rainforest, so bring a waterproof jacket and shoes.
Short trails.
Two waters meet.
A crater lake.
Route 32 between San José and the Caribbean coast, about 45 minutes from the capital
The Quebrada González sector on the highway to Limón, with short, easy forest trails for birdwatching.