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Braulio Carrillo National Park (Barva Volcano sector): Although Barva Volcano has not been active for many millennia, it is in some ways more attractive than either of its neighbors in the Central Volcanic Cordillera, Poás and Irazú. Barva's dormancy has allowed the majestic highland forest to cover its misty summit, and thus, the associated wildlife is more abundant here than at the two aforementioned volcanoes. At 2906 meters above sea level at its highest point, Barva reaches 200 meters higher than Poás, yet does not approach the timberline as Irazú does at another 500 meters in elevation.
From the ranger station at the entrance to this sector of Braulio Carrillo National Park, there is a fairly flat 1.5-kilometer trail to the Laguna Barva, a rainwater filled lake inside a long-inactive crater. For the really intrepid (and well-prepared) hiker, there is a trail which descends down an elevational transect from the top of the volcano to a mere 35 meters above sea level at La Selva Biological Station -- in other words, an almost 3,000 meter drop in 60 kilometers of trail. This hike takes about four days and requires serious planning. Prior permission should also be obtained from the Park Service.
The epiphyte-laden cloud forests on top of Barva Volcano are home to many beautiful birds found only in the highlands, a few examples being the Resplendent Quetzal, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Flame-throated Warbler, and Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher.
Getting there: To drive all the way to the Barva Volcano ranger station, a four-wheel-drive vehicle with good clearance is necessary, otherwise you'll have to park about three kilometers down the hill from the station and walk up. Even getting that far, however, is not easy since the route is not well marked.
From San José, drive to Heredia and head north out of town towards Barva; from here, continue on to the villages of Birrí, Porrosatí, and Sacramento (where the pavement ends). The route winds up through coffee plantations and dairy farms and is quite scenic, but since there are several places where you could take a wrong turn, it's a good idea to ask directions frequently. The best way to see this part of Braulio Carrillo National Park is probably to use the services of an experienced local tour operator.
Climate: The high elevation of Barva Volcano means cool temperatures, so have several layers of clothing to be comfortable. From May through November, afternoon showers are a strong likelihood. It can be blustery and misty from December through February. March and April are the driest and calmest months, but even then you could get wet. Waterproof footwear is highly recommended.
History: The creation of the extension of Braulio Carrillo National Park from Barva Volcano down to the Atlantic lowlands, where the park abuts the La Selva Biological Station, was an ambitious achievement in tropical conservation. Declared a Protected Zone in 1982, this altitudinal transect of almost 3,000 meters in elevation was officially decreed as part of the park by the out-going President Luis Alberto Monge in 1986, after an international campaign had been successful in raising more than two million dollars for purchasing the 12,700 hectares of land in question.
The various life zones protected in this extension to the park are important not only as home to the plants and animals that are adapted to live in each of them, but also as seasonal home to the many creatures, particularly birds, that migrate up and down slopes within the tropics in search of food resources, especially flowering and/or fruiting plants.
Braulio Carrillo National Park (Zurquí sector): Consisting of 44,099 hectares of virgin rain forest, this is one of Costa Rica's largest national parks. Although the park extends into portions of four different provinces, most visitors enter via the highway from San Jose. Only 30 minutes away from downtown, entering the park is like entering another world -- one of endless verdure and dripping with the frequent mists and rains that bathe the upper reaches of the mountain pass that the road winds through.
As you continue following the highway through the park you will descend from an elevation of more than 1500 meters to less than 500 meters above sea level on the Caribbean side of the Barva Volcano massif. Although perhaps not immediately apparent to the average visitor, there is a nearly complete change of flora and fauna between the two ends of this 1000 meter elevational transect. Trails at both the upper and lower ranger stations allow access to the rain forest, however, be careful as they have some steep and slippery sections. Also, caution should be used if stopping anywhere along the highway other than at the ranger stations as, unfortunately, there have been numerous cases during the past few years of tourists being robbed at gunpoint while attempting to use trails where there is no park service vigilance.
When crossing the Río Sucio bridge, be sure to look upstream (on your right if traveling from San José towards Limón). Here the Río Sucio (literally "Dirty River") joins the Río Hondura which comes in from the right. Unless it has been raining very heavily, the difference between these two streams is striking -- the Hondura is a clear mountain stream, while the Sucio can vary from grayish to reddish-orange due to its origins on the ash-covered upper slopes of Irazú Volcano!
Among the more than 400 species of birds known from Braulio Carrillo National Park, a few of the more sought after species by inveterate birdwatchers are: Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Snowcap, Sharpbill, Brown-billed Scythebill, Black-crowned Antpitta, Yellow-eared Toucanet, and Latticed-tailed Trogon. Tanagers and hummingbirds, in particular, abound in the lower and middle elevations of the park. The mammals are similarly diverse, but usually not easily seen. Several of the relatively more common species are: Deppe's Squirrel, White-nosed Coati, White-throated Capuchin, and Northern Tamandua.
Getting there: From downtown San José take Calle 3 out of town, where it becomes the new highway to Limón. By bus, take either the Guápiles, Siquirres, or Limón bus to either of the ranger stations; however, please note that not all buses will necessarily stop to pick you up on the return (if they're full they probably won't stop).
Climate: Be prepared for rain! The temperature at the upper ranger station can often be chilly, so a jacket or sweater will come in handy. It is usually comfortably warm at the lower station, although if the sun is out it can be hot. Boots are definitely recommended for the trails as they are rarely dry.
History: When the government announced plans in 1973 to build a new highway to Limón through a mountainous area of essentially virgin rain forest, local conservationists were instrumental in persuading the authorities to declare a new national park to protect this important area from settlement -- historically the case wherever a new transportation route is put through an unpopulated region.
The park was created in 1978 and named after the nation's third Chief of State, Braulio Carrillo, who, as one of Costa Rica's principal promoters of coffee plantations in the 1830's, proposed that a road be built to connect the Central Valley with the Caribbean coast so that the invaluable beans could reach European markets in much less time than it took to ship them from Puntarenas and around the tip of South America. Although the project was not carried out in his lifetime, a cobblestone oxcart path was constructed in the 1880's to fulfill that purpose. It was only used for a decade or so, however, because in 1895 the railroad from San José to Limón was inaugurated.
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