List of national parks of Costa Rica

National Parks of Costa Rica
File:Manuel antonio 06 april 2005.jpeg Manuel Antonio National Park
First Park	Poás Volcano National Park, 1955
Smallest Park	San Lucas Island National Park, 4.49 km2
Largest Park	La Amistad International Park, 1991 km2
Governing body	SINAC

In 2023 thirty National Parks of Costa Rica are managed under the umbrella of SINAC (Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion), a department of Costa Rica's Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE). All told, Costa Rica's protected areas, including national parks, encompass more than 25% of the country's total land area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Many of these protected areas are national parks.

Costa Rica's progressive policies on environmental protection and sustainable ecotourism in the National Parks System have been lauded as a model for other countries. The rainforests, tropical forests, marine areas and wetlands of Costa Rica are the subject of many university and scientific organization studies. The enrichment of the world's knowledge of these important habitats is an invaluable contribution from the National Parks System of Costa Rica.

The Cordillera de Talamanca is home to an impressive collection of national parks and other preserved areas, including the La Amistad International Park, which extends into Panama. On the southern Osa Peninsula is the internationally renowned Corcovado National Park, which preserves a remnant of sizeable lowland tropical rainforest that is unique in the world. Manuel Antonio National Park was listed by Forbes in 2011 among the world's 12 most beautiful national parks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Camino de Costa Rica is a 280 km long hiking trail across Costa Rica. It runs from the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean coast), the southernmost part of the Tortuguero Canals, up the mountain and through indigenous territory near the Barbilla National Park and through valleys and mountain ranges of the central region of the country, just south of the Turrialba and Irazu Volcanos and through the Los Santos coffee region down to the Pacific coast in Quepos.

National parks of Costa Rica

Park	Coordinates<ref>Google Earth Pro</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> !! Attractions
Arenal Volcano	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Arenal Volcano, Template:Cvt in elevation, has been active almost continuously since 1968. A second volcano, Chato, has a lake in the crater.<ref name="Essential Costa Rica" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Ballena Marine	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Located on the Pacific Ocean. Template:Cvt of park is water with seasonal visits by humpback whales, dolphins, and other marine life.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Barbilla	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Elevations from Template:Cvt to Template:Cvt, The park features foot travel in wet and very wet rain forests and pumas, jaguars, ocelots, and tapirs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Barra Honda	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	The park features extensive limestone caves, some unexplored, with stalactite and stalagmite formations.<ref name="SINAC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Braulio Carrillo	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Steep topography, several volcanoes, rain forests, and proximity to the capital city of San José are attractions. The highest elevation is Template:Cvt<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Cahuita	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	On the Atlantic coast, Template:Cvt of the park is water. The park includes Costa Rica's largest coral reef and preserves marine life.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Carara	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Near the Pacific Ocean, Carara is the northernmost coastal rain forest in Costa Rica. The park is popular with bird watchers and has a large population of scarlet macaws.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Chirripó	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Chirripó features Costa Rica's highest mountain with an elevation of Template:Cvt. Alpine tundra (Costa Rican Paramo) and glacial lakes are found at elevations above Template:Cvt<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Cocos Island	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cocos Island is Template:Cvt off the Pacific Ocean coast of Costa Rica and features marine life, evergreen forests, and waterfalls.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Corcovado	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	On the Pacific coast, most of the park is shallow lagoons, mangrove forests, beaches, and low altitude cloud forests. Access is only with approved guide.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Diriá	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Guanacaste	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Part of the Guancaste World Heritage Site, the park has two volcanos, Orosi and Cacao; dry, wet, and cloud forests; and a large population of collared peccary. Access is through Santa Rosa National Park.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Irazú Volcano	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Irazú is Costa Rica's highest volcano at Template:Cvt. A paved road reaches to near the summit from where both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts can be seen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Juan Castro Blanco	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	The mountainous park has volcanoic cones and vents, Lake Pozo Verde, waterfalls, and many bird species, including quetzals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
La Amistad	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest wilderness area in Costa Rica, the park extends into Panama. Rugged terrain and some of the highest mountains in the country are features. Bio-diversity is outstanding for both flora and fauna.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
La Cangreja	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Las Baulas	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Most of this park is ocean. The beaches of Las Baulas are the largest nesting ground in the world for sea turtles. The coastal area of the park features mangrove forests.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Los Quetzales	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	A mountainous park reaching an elevation of Template:Cvt. As the name indicates the quetzal bird is the main attraction.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Manuel Antonio	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	One of the few remaining homes of the Grey-crowned Central American squirrel monkey, an endangered species. Most of the park is ocean. Twelve islands shelter marine birds.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Miravelles Jorge Manuel Dengo	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	The Miravalles Volcano rises to Template:Cvt. The Miravalles Geothermal Power Project is on the slopes of the volcano.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Palo Verde	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Decalared a wetland of international importance, about one-half of the park is water or wetland, hosting migratory and non-migratory aquatic birds.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Piedras Blancas	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Rich as it is in biological life, Piedras Blancas is also part of the Osa Conservation Area along with several adjoining parks and reserves devoted to conservation.
Poás Volcano	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	The volcano, Template:Cvt in elevation, has several fumaroles emitting gas and causing acid rain which has killed much of the vegetation and force frequent closure of the park.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	The volcano, Template:Cvt in elevation is continuously active with foot trails to nine volcanic cones, fumaroles, mud pits, and hot springs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Santa Rosa	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Santa Rosa protects a dry tropical forest and beaches with sea turtle nests. The park is the site of the Battle of Santa Rosa and military monuments.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
San Lucas Island	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Located Template:Cvt off shore in the Pacific Ocean, the park is a former prison and wildlife preserve.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Elevations up to Template:Cvt, rain forests, ancient oak and alder trees characterize this park in one of the rainiest parts of Costa Rica.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Precipitation exceeds Template:Cvt annually.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Tenorio Volcano	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	The park is characterized by cloud forests and rain forests. The volcano reaches an elevation of Template:Cvt.
Tortuguero	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Two-thirds of the park is water. The park hosts the largest green turtle nesting beach in the Americas. Ninety-nine percent of the park is for preservation; one percent is open to visitors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Turrialba Volcano	Template:Coord	Template:Cvt	Turrialba is the second highest volcano in Costa Rica with an elevation of Template:Cvt. The volcano is periodically active.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Total		Template:Cvt (including ocean)	The land area of national parks make up 13 percent of the area of Costa Rica and about one-half of the total protected land area in Costa Rica.

Number of visitors to parks

Rank	Park	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1	Manuel Antonio	4,388,469
2	Irazú Volcano	2,732,394
3	Poás Volcano	2,503,944
4	Marino Ballena	1,878,848
5	Tortaguero	1,277,816
6	Cahuita	1,113,911
7	Arenal Volcano	1,010, 866
8	Tenoro Volcano	975,754
9	Rincón de La Vieja Volcano	769,719
10	Corcovado	551,101
11	Santa Rosa	425,388
12	Carara	398,910
13	Tapanti-Macizo de la Muerte	240,482
14	Braulio Carrillo	240,089
15	Chirripó	155,696
16	Coco Island	107,295
17	Palo Verde	68,591
18	Barra Honda	52,067
19	Los Quetzales	28,751
20	San Lucas Island	18,872
21	Marino Las Baulas	18,012
22	Diriá	16,300
23	La Cangreja	12,556
24	La Amistad International Park	7,985
25	Turrialba Volcano	7,234
26	Barbilla	4,157
27	Piedras Blancas	3,727
28	Juan Castro Blanco	732
29	Guancaste	n/a
30	Miravalles Jorge Manuel Dengo	n/a

Photographs

• 
  Arenal Volcano National Park.
• 
  Uvita Beach, Ballena Marine National Park.
• 
  Dantas River, Barbilla National Park.
• 
  Black Iguanas in Barra Honda National Park.
• 
  A stream polluted by volcanic sulfur in Braulio Carrillo National Park.
• 
  Cahuita National Park.
• 
  Scarlet Macaw in Carara National Park.
• 
  Lakes formed by glaciers above timberline in Chirripó National Park.
• 
  Cocos Island National Park.
• 
  A tapir in Corcovado National Park.
• 
  Hiking in Guanacaste National Park.
• 
  Main crater at Irazú National Park.
• 
  Cangreja National Park.
• 
  Sea turtle at Las Baulas Marine National Park.
• 
  A quetzal in Los Quetzales National Park.
• 
  central american squirrel monkey in Manuel Antonio National Park.
• 
  Miravalles volcano in Miravalles Jorge Manuel Dengo National Park.
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  Northern Jacana at Palo Verde National Park.
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  Poas crater at Poás Volcano National Park.
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  A hot spring at Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
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  San Lucas Island National Park.
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  Collared trogon in Tapantí National Park.
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  Tenorio Volcano National Park.
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  Turriaba Volcano National Park.

See also

• Conservation in Costa Rica

References

• Franke, Joseph (1993). "Costa Rica's National Parks and Preserves".

External links

• SINAC official site
• Template:Usurped
• Map and Introduction of Costa Rica National Parks
• National Parks of Costa Rica, Reserves and Protected areas
• National Parks of Costa Rica (audio-visual)