Parque Nacional Carara Overview

Encompassing over 5200 hectares, Parque Nacional Carara features the only remaining transitional rainforest in Costa Rica where the drier rainforest of the North Pacific meets the humid rainforest of the South Pacific. The highly varied flora of these two distinct ecosystems provides homes for numerous rare and endangered species, including the giant anteater, the white-faced monkey, the scarlet macaw, and over 50 American crocodiles that can be seen lounging on the banks of the Río Tarcoles and the Meándrica Lagoon. The park’s well-maintained trail system also features Acceso Universal, the first and only wheelchair accessible trail in any national park in Central America.

Transportation

Buses traveling along the Costanera Hwy. pass by the reserve regularly. From Jacó or Playa Hermosa, take any Puntarenas-, Orotina-, or San José-bound bus (see Transportation sections), and ask the driver to let you off at the park entrance. From Puntarenas or Orotina, take any Jacó- or Quepos-bound bus.To return, you’ll have to rely on the buses that pass along the highway from San José or Puntarenas to Jacó or Quepos. A schedule of buses is posted on the information desk at the entrance to the park. Buses to Jacó and San José typically pass by every hour on the half hour from 8:30am to 8:30pm. However, because buses pass by on different schedules you may find yourself waiting anywhere from 10min. to 2hr. for the correct bus. If you’re en route to San José or Puntarenas from Jacó, you can take an early morning bus to the park, have the ranger watch your bags while you’re hiking, and then flag a bus down once you’re ready to leave. (Park open daily 7am-4pm, last tickets sold at 3pm.)

Orientation

Located 17km northeast of Jacó and 90km west of San José, the park was originally created to facilitate scientific studies and investigations. Three of its trails leave from the main entrance and are good for casual hikers, as they are easily traversed, evenly sloped, and well-shaded. The fourth, Sendero Laguna Meándrica, is a bit more challenging, especially during the wet season.

Hiking

Only 10% of Carara is accessible by trial, but these trails are all well-marked and maintained. Three leave from the main ranger station while the fourth, Sendero Laguna Meándrica, leaves from a trailhead off the highway 2km north of the main entrance. Wheelchair-accessible Acceso Universal is a flat, paved 1.3km loop that takes about an hour to hike, leading from the ranger station, through primary rainforest, and connecting to Sendero Quebrada Bonita . Bonita is 1.5km and takes about 1hr. to complete. It begins after a small metal bridge and is linked to a third trail, the 1.2km loop of Sendero Las Aráceas, by another small bridge. While all trails pass through similar primary forest, you’re more likely to see wildlife on the Bonita trail. The less-trodden fourth trail, Sendero Laguna Meándrica begins at the yellow gates 2km along the Costanera from the ranger station, where young scouts will guard cars for tips. Meandering alongside the Río Grande de Tárcoles for 4km, Laguna Meándrica leads to a lagoon viewpoint, which is the best place in the park to spot monkeys, scarlet macaws and crocodiles. This trail, however, offers little shade and is muddy year round due to the high waters of the lagoon, so the rangers recommend rubber boots to all who choose this path (¢1000 per pair to rent at the ranger station). When the lagoon floods in September the trail becomes impassable. All visitors to the park must register and buy their tickets at the MINAE office (☎8383 9953) before hiking. Freelance guides can be hired to spot creatures and help keep your feet dry and are recommended for visitors taking the Laguna Meándrica path. (US$20 per person; guides available in English, French, German and Spanish; Antonio Vindas is recommended by the park ☎2645 1064 and during the dry season he can guide overnight backpacking trips into the park for US$100, up to 15 people per group).

Sights

Fifteen pre-Columbian archaeological sites, dating back as far as 300 BC, are hidden under Carara’s thick foliage. Lomas de Entierro, the most intensely studied site, is an ancient village with housing and funeral remains at the top of the hill facing the Río Grande de Tárcoles. Because these sites have a history of theft and looting, they are not open to the public; viewing is possible only through private arrangements with a licensed guide at the information desk (Call the MINAE office ☎2383 9953 and ask for Jared to arrange a tour).

About 3km north of Parque Nacional Carara’s ranger station, on the highway to Puntarenas and San José, is the Río Tárcoles Bridge. It is known more commonly as the Puente de los Cocodrilos (Crocodile Bridge) because of the scores of crocodiles that reside in the muddy waters of the river and doze along its banks. The rangers say that the crocodiles prey on farm animals that roam the surrounding pastures, and while there have been a few reports of people having their limbs chewed off or being eaten alive, the animals can be safely viewed from the edge of the bridge. If you’re lucky, you might see a crocodile lumbering around or floating log-like down the river, but the more likely view is of 20-40 crocodiles lounging immobile by the water. Locals sometimes stir up activity by throwing live chickens into the water. The bridge is hardly worth its own visit, but if you’re passing by on the highway you might stop for a quick peek. If you want a closer look, call Jungle Crocodile Safari (☎2637 0338, 2637 0586, 8385 6591, or 8367 4447; www.junglecrocodilesafari.com) in Tarcoles for a 2hr. tour down the Río Tárcoles, complete with a bilingual guide who will do some daring crocodile tricks (US$30).