Parque Nacional Palo Verde is one of Central America’s most dynamic wetland areas (the wetlands make up 60% of the entire park) as well as an important site for conservation. Known primarily for its aviary life, the parque has 278 species in residence, among which are jacanas, herons, and egrets. From September to March, thousands of birds migrate here from Canada and South America, making for spectacular birdwatching. The parque ’s 15 distinct habitats—including mangroves, riparian forest, and flood-plain marsh—are home to at least 1200 other species, including the largest crocodile population in Costa Rica.
The parque entrance is 20km down a primarily dirt road, near the town of Bagaces and off the Interamericana Hwy., where buses running between Cañas and Liberia will drop you off in front of the popular Bagaces gas station stop. The road is across from the gas station, and there is a clearly marked path that leads to Palo Verde. There is no public transportation between Bagaces and the parque, but you can get a taxi (¢12,000 one-way). If you’re driving, be cautious of muddy roads during the rainy season.
Parque Nacional Palo Verde lies on the northwest corner of the Gulf of Nicoya, about 30km west of Cañas. The first ranger station, Negritos, is about 20km from the park entrance off the Interamericana Hwy. From the entrance, the main road traverses the park’s length. After 6km, a road branches left from the main road, leading 5km down to La Bocana, a marsh popular with birds, and 9km down to Catalina. The park’s second ranger station is in a denser forest but is great for seeing the colored monkey.
Back on the main road, 1km past the fork, a trail leads to Mirador La Roca. Four-hundred meters farther up sits the biological station, an independent research and education facility run by the renowned Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS). Near OTS are marshes, which are home to hundreds of migrating birds and ducks December through February. Palo Verde, the third ranger and MINAE station, lies 1.5km beyond the biological station.
The regional MINAE office (☎2455 2671) overseeing Parque Nacional Palo Verde is on the west side of the gas station on the Interamericana Hwy. They have information and can contact ranger guides. Boat tours show off the birds in the gulf and take visitors around nearby islands, including Isla de Pájaros (2-3hr., US$70-80 per person depending on group size). Call Palo Verde National Park (☎2200 0125; park open daily 7am-5pm) or Arenal Tempisque Conservation Area (}/fax 2695 5180; www.acarenaltempisque.org).
Puesto Palo Verde (☎2200 0125) is the only one of three ranger stations currently offering accommodations. Just 1.5km beyond the biological station, dorms have portable water, fans, and shared bathrooms. Close to many of the park’s attractions, the station also serves as a good camping ground. (Kitchen available. Meals US$6-8. Dorms US$13. Camping US$2.) Although the biological station is officially for students and researchers affiliated with the OTS, it’s possible to negotiate for a bed when space is available (prices vary). Volunteering opportunities are available at Puesto Palo Verde; they are very flexible in accommodating your interests. Mornings are usually dedicated to work such as trail maintenance and afternoons to exploration in the park through hiking, horseback riding, boat tours, birdwatching, etc. (Lodging and meals US$8 per night. Tours are free. 1-week min.).
La Roca, a leisurely 540m trail, leads to a beautiful lookout point where the Palo Verde Marsh, Tempisque River, and Gulf of Nicoya are all within sight. Significantly more challenging, El Guayacán (1460m) leads to the best viewing points in the park, boasting vistas of El Guayacán, El Cactus, and the slithering Río Tempisque and its plains. Be ready to practically rock-climb the sharp stones to the mirador and clamber right back down the same way you came to get back on the main trail. The foliage-embraced trail, El Mapache (650m), leads through three different types of forests—lowland deciduous, evergreen, and one that grows on a limestone substrate. Also 650m, El Querque features enormous trees and xeroline vegetation. Finally, La Venada (2100m) follows the periphery of Palo Verde Marsh. La Humedal is a 100m boardwalk leading through the marsh that offers premier birdwatching and crocodile encounters. The rangers arrange boat tours, which are the best way to see many of the park’s most interesting bird species; contact them in advance. Complimentary trail maps are available at any of the ranger stations.
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