Lomas Barbudal (Bearded Hills) is a 23 sq. km tropical dry forest (70% decidious) that holds over 250 species of animals including the howler monkey, white-nosed agouti, jagaroundi, and 130 species of birds. However, this reserve is best known for its bees, many of which are endemic to Costa Rica. They camouflage remarkably well against the cortezas amarilla trees that burst into yellow bloom at the end of the dry season and can be observed from the three 2km trails within the reserve. The walk to the reserve can be long and hot without a car, but a swimming hole awaits those who make the trek. The park rangers offer complimentary guided tours.
The reserve is difficult to reach without a car. You can take a taxi (¢7000 one-way) to the entrance, 6km off the Interamericana Hwy.; the turnoff is at the small community of Pijije. Visitors have been known to hitch a ride with drivers headed for San Ramón, though Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking. While the dirt road is in fairly good condition, it may require 4WD in the rainy season.
The reserve is located 18km southwest of Bagaces. A Visitors Center run by the neighborhood association of San Ramón is 6km from Pijije on the Interamericana Hwy., north of Bagaces. This same road reaches Palo Verde 20km later, south of Lomas. It’s easier to go through Bagaces to get to Palo Verde.
The Visitors Center is open year-round and finances the reserve with donations from visitors. The center has many small exhibits on the region’s wildlife and a foodcourt. Although Lomas Barbudal is no longer managed by the government, the regional MINAE office has information and may put you in touch with guardaparques (park rangers) who offer free tours. (☎2695 5908 or 8818 0671; lomasbarbudal@acarenaltempisque.org. Open daily 8am-4pm.)
Most visitors never enter the actual reserve, whose northern edge is across the Río Cabuyo from the Visitors Center, since most locals take advantage of the swimming hole behind the Visitors Center, La Poza el Eden de Cabuyo. The naturally clean water allows for a dream bath that feels like it’s in the middle of the jungle. Modest bathers beware; the water is surrounded by tree stumps often used for picnics. The southern side of Lomas is accessible by roads leading to Palo Verde from Bagaces. La Catarata and Carablanca (in honor of the white-faced monkeys), two 2km trails, lead to a swimming hole and waterfalls and boast a wide variety of animals, from the entertaining white-faced monkey to the less desirable bee. Gigantes de Bosque, a leisurely 1hr. walk, runs along the river through dense forest, affording excellent birdwatching opportunities.
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