Palo Verde

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Palo Verde

Palo Verde National Park has spectacular wetlands and one of the best examples of dry tropical forest. This is possible because the mighty Tempisque River flows through this relatively arid region.

Quick Facts

History

In 1968 the Palo Verde area was chosen as a dry-forest site for an Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS) project about comparative ecosystems. This area is one of the few in Central America with remnants of dry-tropical forest.

The Costa Rican government declared the site a national wildlife refuge in 1977 to protect both the seasonal concentration of migratory birds in the area’s wetlands and its stands of neotropical dry forest.

Before becoming a national park, Palo Verde had been a cattle ranch for more than 50 years. In 1991, the park was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

Flora and Fauna

Flora: Deciduous and evergreen forests contain the park’s namesake “palo verde” – “horse bean” tree.

Fauna: The park is home to more than 300 bird species and is especially known for its large populations of herons, storks, egrets, spoonbills, ibis, ducks and greets. Forest-dwellers also reside here.

Myriad mammal species live in and around the park. You may be able to see coatis, armadillos, monkeys, peccaries and jaguarondi. American crocodiles are a common sight in the Tempisque River. They can grow up to 4.5 meters (15 feet).

Getting there

From San José, follow the Inter-American Highway north to Bagaces, then turn left and follow the signs. From the Bagaces intersection the trip to the parl entrance takes about an hour.

From the Nicoya side of the Tempisque River, you can hire a boat at the dock in the town of Puerto Humo and power your way upriver to the park.

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View Palo Verde National Park in a larger map

Services

Information post, guided hikes, trails, lookout points, a research station, bird watching, canoeing, camping.

Recreational Activities

Campsites are available near the research station. Other activities include hiking and wildlife watching.

Several trails pass through the tropical-dry forest including the Las Calizas, El Mapache, El Manigordo and La Venada trails.

Interesting facts

Palo Verde is a mosaic of 15 different habitats.
The wetlands, fed by seasonal flooding of the Tempisque River, create ideal conditions for thousands of migratory birds.