Corcovado National Park is widely considered the crown jewel in the system of national parks and biological reserves spread across the country. Its ecological variety is quite stunning.
Quick Facts and Data
History
Established as a national park Oct. 24, 1975.
Due to the remoteness of the peninsula, logging got started only in the 1960s. By 1975 plans were already underway for a major international logging operation.
Researchers petitioned President Daniel Oduber to protect the area. His decision to declare it a national park earned him the Albert Schweitzer Award from the Animal Welfare Institute.
Gold miners were already present and initially allowed to stay, but by 1986 their numbers had grown to about 1,000, not including their families. Their mining and hunting took a toll on park wildlife and led to the decision to evict them.
Flora and Fauna
Flora: : The park’s 41,788 hectares encompass eight types of habitat from mangrove swamp and jolillo palm grove to montane forest. Together, these habitats contain over 500 tree species, including purple heart, poponjoche, nargusta, banak, cow tree, espave and crabwood.
Fauna:The park contains more than 400 species of birds (20 of them endemic), 116 species of amphibians and reptiles, 66 species of freshwater fish, and 70 species of marine crab. Its 139 mammal species comprise 10 percent of all mammal species in the Americas on a portion of land about 1/10,000 the size.
Mammals found include anteaters, sloths, southern river otters, crab-eating raccoons, ocelots, margays, jaguars, peccaries, Baird's tapirs and all four of Costa Rica’s monkey species, including the white-faced capuchin and the highly endangered red-backed squirrel monkey. It’s also home to a thriving population of about 1,200 scarlet macaws.Corcovado is a good place to spot the red-eyed tree frog, with its transparent skin, and enamel-bright poison-arrow frogs.
Four species of sea turtles – green, Pacific Ridley, hawksbill, and leatherback – nest on the park's beaches.
Getting There
Travel 180 miles south of San José on the Inter-American Highway. Drive to Drake (20 miles), La Palma (3 miles) and then Puerto Jiménez (25 miles past La Palma).
Hike or fly to the park headquarters at Sirena Biological Station. Charter flights can be arranged in Puerto Jiménez.
Services
The park’s six ranger stations are connected by a network of trails.They have camping areas and potable water. Advance reservations are required for meals and lodging at all the ranger stations.
Register and make reservations for camping, bunkhouses and meals (at the Osa Conservation Area administrative headquarters, in Puerto Jiménez.
Recreational Activities
Enjoy camping and hiking trails, local guides offer jungle tours, boating excursions and others.
Hiking Trails
|
Espaveles Length: 1,900 meters(1.2 miles) Time: 45 minutes |
La Olla Length: 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) Time: 2 hours |
Sirena Length: 1,200 meters (.75 miles) Time: 30 minutes |
|
Naranjo Trail Length: 1,500 meters (1 mile) Time: 35 minutes |
Corcovado Length: 2,500 meters. Time: 1 hour |
Salsipuedes (La Leona - Sirena) Length: 19 kilometers (11.8 miles) Time: 8 hours |
|
Rio Claro Length: 7,500 meters (4.7 miles) Time: 2.5 hours |
Guanacaste Length: 3,700 meters (2.3 miles) Time: 1.5 hours |
Los Patos Length: 23 kilometers (14.3 miles) Time: 9 hours |
Interesting Facts
Corcovado National Park is ecologically stunning. National Geographic has called it “the most biologically intense place on earth.” The park is very popular with tropical ecologists. Visitors can expect to see an abundance of wildlife.
Cerro Rincón is the park’s highest point at 745 meters (2,444 feet)
Corcovado is one of the world’s few remaining homes to the harpy eagle.
Contact information
Telephone:Regional Office, (506) 2735-5036 or (506) 2735-5580
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