Central Valley

Arenal Volcano National Park
Costa Rica

The cone is the view, not the climb. Lava-flow trails and lake views west of La Fortuna.

Check before you go

  • The cone is the view. The summit stays closed, as of 5 Oct 2026.
  • The 1968 lava trail is open rock and little shade, as of 5 Oct 2026.
  • A foreign adult pays US$16.95. IVA is included, as of 5 Oct 2026.

Facts

Summit: Closed. The cone is the view.

Fee: A foreign adult pays US$16.95. IVA is included, as of Oct 2026.

Trail: The 1968 lava trail is open rock.

Map

Map of Costa Rica

  • The coneYou look at it. The summit is not a hike.
  • The 1968 lava trailOpen rock and little shade. Go early.

The cone is the view. The summit stays closed. The lava trail is the walk.

The park sits west of La Fortuna. The lava trail is inside the gate.

Go early. The lava trail has little shade, and the cone clouds over later.

La Fortuna is the base, a longer drive north from San José than the valley volcanoes.

You can plan the morning from La Fortuna. Go early.

A foreign adult pays US$16.95. IVA is included, as of Oct 2026.

Go at opening. The useful hour is before the heat on the lava rock.

No. The summit is closed, and the lava trail is a marked walk.

Do not try the summit. Stay on the lava trail, and go before the rock is hot.

Where to stay

La Fortuna is the town at the base. Nuevo Arenal is the lake shore.

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Parks near

Miravalles, Costa RicaNot open to visitors yetNorth Pacific

Miravalles

The newest volcano park, north of Bagaces. Not set up for visitors yet; the hot springs nearby are private.