Ultimate Guide To Visiting Rincon De La Vieja National Park
Are you planning to visit Rincon de La Vieja National Park in Guanacaste Costa Rica? If so, this article’s for you.
Rincon de la Vieja is a spectacular national park that spans over 34,000 acres in the rainforest, with volcanoes, boiling mud pots, sulfur hot springs, waterfalls, and more.
I went on a day trip to Rincon de la Vieja to hike in the park, and I was blown away by all of the different volcanic features!
This article will cover exactly how to buy tickets online, and what to do in the park, from hiking trails to hot springs and ziplining tours.
Here’s everything you need to know before visiting Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
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How To Get To Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Rincon de la Vieja National Park is around a 45 minute drive north of Liberia, and just over a 3 hour drive from Tamarindo. If you don’t want to drive there, you can join a full-day tour to Rincón de la Vieja, from hotels in Guanacaste.
To get to the main entrance (Las Pailas Sector), you don’t need a 4×4 vehicle, but keep in mind the roads are not in the best condition. If you’re driving a rental, make sure to drive extra slowly to avoid potholes as you approach the park.
To enter the park, you must purchase tickets online beforehand at SINAC. Entrance is $16.95 USD + tax for nonresidents, and parking is completely free.
Rincón de la Vieja National Park has two entrances, the Las Pailas or the Santa Maria sector, both of which are open daily from 8am-3:30pm.
The Las Pailas is the main and most popular entrance that’s accessible with any vehicle. It has a large dirt parking lot, and a visitor center you’ll enter to show them your ticket confirmation before entering the park.
The Santa Maria entrance is only accessible by 4×4 vehicle due to road conditions, and it was closed due to volcanic activity when I visited.
Hiking In Rincón de la Vieja
The most popular hikes in Rincon de la Vieja National Park start at the main entrance (Las Pailas sector).
I parked at the main entrance, and hiked the Las Pailas trail to the boiling mud pots, fumaroles, geysers, and other fascinating volcanic features. This is a 2.5 mile loop trail that winds through the forest, took me just over an hour to hike.
I visited while it was raining, so I nearly had the entire park to myself, and it was one of the most unique places I’ve seen in Costa Rica.
Beyond Las Pailas Trail, you can hike to the La Cangreja or Escondida waterfall from the main entrance. These are long, over 5 mile roundtrip hikes, that can take 3 to 4 hours. If you plan on hiking to the waterfalls, it’s best to arrive very early in the morning.
If you enter at the Santa Maria entrance, you can also hike to cold water pots, hot springs, waterfalls, and more. This is the lesser known entrance, and it’ll likely be less crowded, as it requires a 4×4 vehicle to visit.
Here is a quick overview of the hiking trails available at each entrance.
Hikes From The Main Entrance (Las Pailas)
There are two main trails available at the main entrance, the Las Pailas and La Cangreja Trail.
The Las Pailas trail goes east, whereas the La Cangreja Waterfall Trail goes west, and connects to the Escondida trail (hidden waterfall).
For step by step directions, it’s best to download the offline maps on Alltrails, as there’s no service in the park. However, the trails are very well-marked, and you can take a picture of the map at the visitor center, so it’s not necessary.
Here’s a quick overview of each trail.
Las Pailas Loop Trail (Most popular trail)
- Highlight: Easy trail to sulfur pools, boiling mud baths, fumaroles, and a seasonal waterfall
- Length: 2.5 miles roundtrip
- Duration: 1-1.5 hrs
- View on Alltrails
La Cangreja Waterfall
- Highlight: Long trail to a swimmable waterfall
- Length: 6.2 miles roundtrip
- Duration: 3-4 hrs
- View on Alltrails
Escondida Waterfall (Hidden waterfall)
- Highlight: Long trail to a swimmable waterfall
- Length: 5.0 miles roundtrip
- Duration: 3-4 hrs
- View on Alltrails
Hikes From The Santa Maria Entrance
When the Santa Maria entrance is open, you can hike to cold water baths, hot springs, and waterfalls in around 1-2 hours.
Here are the main trails available from this entrance.
Colibri (Hummingbird Trail)
- Highlight: Short trail to an old sugar mill that connects to the rest of the trails
- Length: 1 km roundtrip
- Duration: 10 minutes
Sendero Pailas de Agua Fria (Cold Water Pots)
- Highlight: Short trail to cold water pots cooled by carbon dioxide
- Length: 2 km in total
- Duration: 45 min to an hour
Sendero Aguas Termales (Hot Springs)
- Highlight: Short trail to cold water pots cooled by carbon dioxide
- Length: 2 km in total
- Duration: 45 min to an hour
Sector Pailas (Volcanic crater)
- Highlight: Extremely long trail to a volcanic crater
- Length: 32 km round trip (20 miles)
- Duration: 8 to 10 hours
Things To Do Besides Hiking
Here are some of the best things to do near Rincon de la Vieja National Park besides hiking.
Relax At Rio Negro Hot Springs
The Rio Negro Hot Springs are 10 heated natural swimming pools and mud baths, located right by the main entrance to Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
They’re open from 9am-4pm, and owned by Hotel Guachipelin, who charges an entrance fee of $30/adult for a 1.5 hour pass.
Their hot springs are easily accessible by a short walk, and they have restrooms and showers on site.
Go Ziplining, Horseback Riding, & River Tubing
With Hotel Guachipelin, you can go on a ziplining, horseback riding, and river tubing excursion in the rainforest by Rincon de la Vieja.
This is a full day tour, that includes access to the Rio Negro Hot Springs, where you can swim in hot springs, and soak in a mineral-rich mud bath.
This tour also includes lunch, and round trip transportation from hotels in Guanacaste.
Swim In Poza Los Coyotes
Poza Los Coyotes is a hidden gem and natural swimming hole, only around an hour’s drive from Rincon de la Vieja.
It’s a beautiful clear blue lagoon with a rope swing that only costs 5 to 6 USD to swim in.
They have a small ticketing office onsite where you can pay the entrance fee, and rent out safety buoys to use for swimming.
Visit Nearby Waterfalls
Rincon de la Vieja has a variety of waterfalls, but most of them are only accessible by a long, multiple hour hike.
Thankfully, there are many other incredible waterfalls in Guanacaste, including the La Leona, Llanos de Cortez, and Rio Celeste waterfall.
For details on how to visit all of these, check out our article on the 8 best Costa Rica waterfalls!
Rincon De La Vieja Map
Rincón de la Vieja National Park FAQs
Is Rincon de la Vieja National Park worth visiting?
Rincon de la Vieja is surrounded by interesting volcanic features, and definitely worth visiting. It’s one of the best places to hike in Guanacaste, and it’s very far out in nature, so it doesn’t feel touristy.
How far is Rincón de la Vieja from Tamarindo?
Rincón de la Vieja is around a 3 hour drive from Tamarindo.
Do you need a 4×4 to visit Rincon de la Vieja?
No, you don’t need a 4×4 vehicle to visit the main entrance (Las Pailas Sector) of Rincon de la Vieja National Park. If you’re visiting the Santa Maria Sector, however, you will need a 4×4 vehicle due to road conditions.
I saw many potholes on the road leading up to Rincon de la Vieja, so just make sure to drive slowly on the last few miles leading up to the park.
Summary
Rincón de la Vieja is a spectacular national park, surrounded by natural beauty and tons of interesting volcanic features.
I recommend doing an early morning hike at the park, and stopping by Rio Negro Hot Springs afterwards to relax in natural hot springs.
If you happen to be staying in a beach town like Tamarindo, I highly recommend joining a full-day tour so you don’t have to worry about driving all the way to the park.
And for more ideas on what to do nearby, make sure to check out our list of the best things to do in Guanacaste!
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