Our last stop before leaving the La Fortuna area was a trip to Arenal Volcano National Park. We honestly debated whether to visit this national park or not given that we didn’t have too much time to dedicate to the visit, but I’m glad we did! The trails at Arenal Volcano National Park are short but enjoyable, and you can get a good feel of the national park within a few hours. We chose to hike just the Las Coladas trail which clocks in at just 2 km (1.2 mi).

Arenal Volcano National Park is actually home to both Arenal Volcano and Chato Volcano, but Arenal is Costa Rica’s most active volcano with lava flows relatively consistent from 1968 to 2010.

At Arenal Volcano National Park, visitors can choose from a few short trails passing through the forest and lava fields. Entry costs $15.00 USD for non-citizens.

Mirador Principal

We first drove to the Mirador Principal, where we had a picnic at the covered seating area. Keep in mind that the top of the volcano is often obscured by clouds, but the view is still good! We were told to “just wait 20 minutes and the clouds might dissipate” but our view that day remained cloudy even after waiting.

Las Coladas Trail

We then hiked the Las Coladas trail to a viewpoint of the volcano and the 1992 lava flow. The initial part of the hike wanders through super tall grasses filled with birds and other small wildlife like neon lizards and leafcutter ants.

The trail then ascends a metal staircase to the 1992 lava flow.

After a little bit of unlevel footing traversing the lava flow, you’ll reach the viewpoint of the Arenal Volcano. Hope for a less cloudy day than we had but even with the clouds, this short hike is worth it.