Arenal Volcano Hike: 8 Best Trails

Also leaving from the ranger station, the main lookout path is more of a sandy road. This trail takes you through forested and pastured areas to a lookout where you can view the remains of lava flows; a result of continuous eruptions that occured from 1968 to 1992. Viewing is limited to 20 minutes from the designated lookout. While this path is a popular option for walking, the road to the lookout may also be accessed via vehicle or on an Arenal Volcano hike tour.

• Trail distance: 1.3 km
• Hike duration: 25–30 minutes
• Hike difficulty: Easy, due to a well-maintained flat path and short distance

Check out this day tour that takes you on a hike to Arenal Volcano's main lookout. 

Los Heliconias trail offers a great introductory experience to Arenal Volcano National Park hiking. This narrow trail starts across from the ranger station and leads you to the connecting Las Coladas trail for a closer look at the volcano. Los Heliconias’ path navigates through lush, newer vegetation that has grown since the major eruption in 1968. It is easy to view wild orchids, butterflies, and several bird species, including hummingbirds, magpie-jays, and oropendola. The trail also crosses with the Main Lookout path for an extension.

• Trail distance: 1 km
• Hike duration: 25 minutes
• Hike difficulty: Easy, due to great accessibility, flat terrain, and short distance

Los Miradores is aptly named, as it translates in Spanish to “the viewpoints.” From the park headquarters, the trail meanders along the peninsula giving breathtaking panoramas of both Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. Passing through rainforest, it eventually leads to the shores of Lake Arenal. Opportunities to spot birds and mammals can also be particularly good on this trail as it navigates between the volcanic and lake ecosystems.

• Trail distance: 1.2 km
• Hike duration: 25 minutes
• Hike difficulty: Easy, as it is mostly flat without obstacles

This tour takes you on the Los Miradores trail.

 

Las Coladas is one of the top hiking trails in Arenal for getting up close and personal with the active volcano. The sandy trail starts at the ranger station passing through diverse vegetation with views of the Tilarán Mountain Range. The trail ends at the base of the volcano, where you can walk over the volcano’s old lava fields. You may hear the rumblings of geothermal activity. Again, for safety, viewing is limited to 20 minutes. Look around the old lava areas for unique orchids, lizards, and other habitants in this hotspot.

• Trail distance: 2 km
• Hike duration: 1 hour
• Hike difficulty: Easy to moderate. The trail is mostly flat but requires climbing a staircase at the end. Take precautions if walking over the lava fields as debris can be large, jagged, and wobbly.

Further into the forest, El Ceibo trail is an extended loop trail that starts at and returns to Las Coladas trail. We recommend taking your time on this trail to appreciate the abundance of wildlife and plants found in this secondary forest. You don’t want to miss a photo opportunity with the massive Ceibo tree of over 400 years old, for which this trail is named for.

• Trail distance: 1.8 km
• Hike duration: 1.5 hours
• Hike difficulty: Easy. The land is flat and the walk is a popular choice for leisurely strolls to admit the local flora and fauna.

Los Tucanes is one of the longer Arenal hiking trails. It starts at the end of Las Coladas and loops through rainforest towards Rio Agua Caliente. There is an old lava trail extension halfway through the loop that eventually leads to Arenal Observatory Lodge. Check-in with the ranger station regarding accessibility before your hike as Los Tucanes is sometimes closed.

• Trail distance: 3 km
• Hike duration: 2.5 hours
• Hike difficulty: Easy to moderate. The trail presents no major obstacles, but the hike is long particularly if combined with Las Coladas.

Within the national park boundary, Arenal Observatory Lodge offers access to 11 km of trails. The Cerro Chato Trail and the Lava Vieja Trail are two that lie within the national park. The Lava Vieja Trail follows along Rio Agua Caliente and extends towards the old lava fields. The trail is also known to host howler monkeys in the trees.

• Distance: 2 km
• Hike duration: 1–2 hours
• Hike difficulty: Strenuous due to a steep return climb and uneven ground.

Hardcore hiking in Arenal Volcano National Park leads to the park’s lesser-known dormant volcano, Cerro Chato. The hike to this volcano’s crater is sure to leave you winded and sore from the climb, but if you dare, you can cool off with a refreshing once-in-a-lifetime dip in the crater lake. With two possible entryways, the trail from La Fortuna waterfall has in recent years been closed off due to erosion, while a trail from Arenal Observatory Lodge is typically more accessible.

• Trail distance: 3.2 km
• Hike duration: 3 hours
• Hike difficulty: Strenuous. The climb is steep, and rain has severely eroded the trails over the years. Hiking these trails in the rain, during the wet season from May to November is not advisable.

The opportunity to explore the ecosystems and terrain of this volcanic region is an experience you will never forget. Be sure to plan a trip to Arenal Volcano National Park to enjoy one of Costa Rica’s most dramatic landscapes.

If you would like more information regarding Costa Rica, make sure to go through our travel guides on how many days to spend, the best places to visit, and things to do in the country. Get in touch with our local travel experts who can help you plan your next personalized trip to Costa Rica that includes all the important highlights of the Arenal National Volcano Park.