Poás Volcano, has erupted 39 times since 1828.
This national park also offers four different habitats: areas with scarce vegetation, a stunted forest, a cloud forest, and an area of arrayans.
Quick Facts and Data
History
Date of creation: 25 Jan 1971
Poás (2,708 meters) is a restless giant with a 40-year active cycle.
It erupted moderately in the early 1950s and was briefly active in 1989, when the access road was closed, and again in May 1994, when the park was temporarily closed.
In July and August 1994, it rumbled dramatically. The park is frequently closed to visitors because of pungent and irritating sulfur gas emissions--many plants bear the scars of acid attacks.
Flora and Fauna
Flora:
This national park offers four different habitats: areas with scarce vegetation, a stunted forest, a cloud forest, and an area of arrayans.
Fauna:
There are 79 species of birds in this park, including the robin, the hummingbird and the spectacular quetzal. Among the mammals found here, are the coyotes, long-tailed weasels, skunks and some small felines. The Poas green-yellow squirrel is only found in this park.
Getting there
From San José take highway 3 or 5 to Heredia, then 126 north through Barva, and Roble to Varablanca where you turn left towards Poasito and follow the signs 10 km to the park.
Bus
Daily departures from Avenida2, Calles 12/14 in San José at 8:30 a.m. There is only one return bus, at 2:30 p.m. (Tuasa company, phone number: 2233-7477).
View Poas Volcano in a Larger Map
Services
The visitors center is open from 8am to 4 pm. An autoguided trail system winds through the cloud forest to Botos Lake.
The Park offers wide parking lots, toilets, and an exhibit hall and auditorium, where audiovisual presentations are given on Sundays. Upstairs is the Heliconia Nature Store run by the Fundación Neotrópica, plus the pleasant Café Botos, serving coffees, cappuccinos, and snacks.
There's wheelchair access to the exhibits and trails.
Recreational Activities
Hiking Trails
Botos Trail
Length: 1400 meters.
Time: 45 minutes.
Escalonia Trail
Length: 560 meters.
Time: 30 minutes.
Sombrilla de Pobre Boulevard
Length: 600 meters.
Time: 20 minutes.
Interesting facts
The main crater is 950 feet (289 m) deep and is quite active with frequent small geyser and lava eruptions, however the last major eruptions were during 1952-54.
The extinct Von Frantzuis crater and the Botos crater, a cold green water crater lake with a diameter of 1,200 feet (365 m) are also part of the park.
The Botos crater has not erupted for about 7,500 years. Well marked trails will take you to see the two inactive craters.
Poás volcano allows you to drive within 300 meters of the rim.
The viewing terrace gives a bird's-eye view 320 meters down into the hellish bowels of the volcano, with its greenish sulfuric pool and also down over the northern lowlands.
The park is frequently closed to visitors because of sulfuric gas emissions.
Contact information
Phone number: (506) 2482- 2165
Website: http://www.sinac.go.cr
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