 Rincón
de la Vieja National Park was created by law No. 5398, on
the 23rd of October, 1973. Located in Guanacaste and Alajuela
provinces, it covers a little over 14, 083.9 hectares. With
26°C of temperature and 2000 mm rain fall average.
Rincón de la Vieja is one of the protected areas within
the Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG.), along with Guanacaste
and Santa Rosa National Parks, Junquillal Bay Wildlife Refuge
and the Horizontes Forestry Station.
To make management and oparations more efficient, Rincón
de la Vieja National Park has been split into two sectors,
Las Pailas and Santa María.
Las Pailas Sector owes its name to the volcanic features found
here, which include fumaroles, mud pots, and steam vents.
Santa Maria Sector, from the end of the 19th century until
1973 was one of the largest haciendas of the region. Cattle
raising (for both meat and milk) was the principal purpose
of the hacienda, along with cultivation of coffee and sugar
cane.
Geology
Approximately 600,000 years old, the massive Rincón
de la Vieja volcano is a complex geological structure, consisting
of at least nine volcanic cones. The rim of the most active
crater is at 1806 meters; its sides are nearly vertical and
are barren of vegetation. Santa María crater is the
highest at 1916 m. It is presently inactive and has some vegetative
cover. Along the south side of the volcano there is a zone,
where hot springs, mud pots, and steam and sulfer vents are
found.
It is said that Rincón de la Vieja once served as a
natural lighthouse for sailors off the Pacific coast of Costa
Rica. Reliable reports from 1851 tell of eruptions of smoke
and ash; sporadic eruptions of steam and ash were again observed
between 1860 and 1863. During the present century, occasional
eruptions of gases, ash and mud mixed with steam were noted
from 1966 to the 1970s. During 1983-1984 the activity affected
an area 2 km to the south and to the east of the active crater.
The most recent eruptions, in 1991, 1995 and again in 1997,
caused some damage to settlements on the Atlantic slope.
Hydrology
Mighty Rincón de la Vieja stands astride the continental
divide, separating Atlantic from Pacific watersheds in the
northwest zone of the country. Its height and location make
it a veritable "water factory" one which has been
lending service for many years to the province of Guanacaste.
Here are forever protected important watersheds that supply
drinking water to the provincial capital, the city of Liberia.
In total, thirty two rivers are born on Rincón´s
flanks; among them the Colorado, Blanco, and Ahogados Rivers.
Additionaly, there are sixteen intermittent creeks, that flow
only during the rainy season. Many of these streams are tributaries
of the Tempisque River, the largest river in the province
of Guanacaste.
Flora
and fauna
Due to the range of altitudes, rainfall and ages of volcanic
ash fields, there is a good variety of vegetative formations
on Rincón's slopes and craters. On the highest forested
slopes the trees become dwarfed, gnarled, and covered with
moss mats, which provide arboreal soil for orchids and other
epiphytes. Rincón is, also, a protected refuge of a
large population of the lovely national flower of Costa Rica,
the Guaria Morada orchid (Cattleya skinerii). Representative
trees include Laurel (Cordia alliodora), Guanacaste (Enterolobium
cyclocarpum), Cedro Amargo (Cedrela odorata), the Naked Indian
Tree, (Bursera simarouba) and the Copey, (Clusia sp.). Common
mammals include collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu), agoutis
(Dasyprocta puntacta), tayras (Eira barbara), ninebanded armadello
(Dassypus novecinctus), white-faced monkeys (Cebus capuccinus),
howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata), and spider monkeys (Ateles
gefroyi)
The mountain is home to about three hundred bird species,
including the Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens), Blue-crowned
Motmot (Momotus momotta), Mountain Robin (Myadestes melanops),
and the Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus).
Access
Las
Pailas Sector is located about 25 km northeast of Liberia.
Travel north on the Inter-American Highway, 5 km from Liberia
to the community of Guadalupe, then take the gravel road to
the east, for 20 km.
Santa María Sector begins about 25 km from barrio La
Victoria, in the town of Liberia. Keep on the road to the
community of Colonia Blanca, and then, turn left. A four-wheel
drive vehicle is recommended for these roughroads.
Sites
of interest
Las
Pailas Sector: Las Pailas Trail, Blanco River Pool, Hidden
Waterfalls, The Crab Waterfall, Active Crater Trail, Las Pailas
to Santa Maria Trail
Santa María Sector: Santa María Casona, Humming
Bird Trail, cold Water Pots, Enchanted Forest Waterfall, Thermal
Water, The Santa María Overlook
Suggestions
- Trails
vary in length from about 1 to 8 km. Please, never leave
the trails.
- Do
not forget to carry drinking water and use strong shoes
or boots. Always carry a flashlight if you walk at night.
- The
many clear cool streams on Rincón provide breeding
sites for biting flies, which can be a nuisance at times.
Come prepared with insect repellent.
- Due
to their volcanic origin, some springs and creeks on Rincón
carry high concentrations of chemicals. Avoid drinking
the water unless its potability is indicated.
- Please
do not toss your cigarette butts, and do not make bonfires.
- Please
place all your garbage in the containers provided.
- It
is forbidden, by law, to bring pets into the Park, and
to remove plants, animals, or any other natural resources.
Take only pictures, leave only footprints.
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