- Use a marked entrance. The highway is not a trailhead, as of 5 Oct 2026.
- The crater lagoon above Heredia is a cold walk, as of 5 Oct 2026.
Braulio Carrillo National Park
Costa Rica
Cloud and rainforest on the road to the Caribbean, and a cold crater lagoon above Heredia.
Check before you go
Facts
Road: On the way from the valley to the Caribbean.
Lagoon: A cold crater lagoon above Heredia.
Fee: Fees differ for foreigners and for residents. SINAC posts the figure, and it usually includes IVA, as of Oct 2026.
Map
- The crater lagoonAbove Heredia. It is cold. Bring a layer.
- The forestCloud and rainforest. Enter at a marked gate, not from the highway.
Cloud forest, rainforest, and a cold crater lagoon above Heredia.
Use a marked entrance. Do not stop on the highway and walk in.
The lagoon side is cold. A layer matters more than the month.
It crosses the road from the Central Valley toward the Caribbean. Heredia is the lagoon side.
Pick a marked entrance before you drive. The highway is not the plan.
Fees differ for foreigners and for residents. SINAC posts the figure, and it usually includes IVA, as of Oct 2026.
Go in the morning. Do not start a forest walk late.
No. Stay on the marked path from a real entrance.
Do not enter from the highway. Stay on the marked path.
Where to stay
Heredia is the side for the crater lagoon. The highway continues to the Caribbean.
Heredia
Costa Rica
Coffee towns and forest on the roads above the city, cooler than the valley floor.
San José
Costa Rica
The capital. The center is a pleasure: theater, museums, and the market, a good first or last night.
Thinking about living in Braulio Carrillo?
See homes and land for sale in Braulio Carrillo through Costa Rica MLS, or ask a local agent a question.
Parks near
Irazú Volcano
The highest volcano, a drive above Cartago. Go early: the craters cloud over by noon.
Turrialba Volcano
An active volcano east of Cartago. Book ahead and check the alert level before you drive.
Poás Volcano
A steaming acid lake above Alajuela. Book a morning slot and look from the rail.
Juan Castro Blanco
The 'water park' above Ciudad Quesada: cloud forest and river sources. Call before you drive.
Tapantí
River and rainforest at the end of the Orosi road, a day trip from Cartago.
Barbilla
Rainforest south of Siquirres, with a guided river hike. Few people, gravel road in.