GUNUNG · Kosta Rika

Rincón de la Vieja

Volcán Rincón de la Vieja

Information

Elevation: 1.916 m
Country: Kosta Rika (CR)
Location / Range: Cordillera de Guanacaste — Taman Nasional Rincón de la Vieja (Kawasan Konservasi Guanacaste, Warisan Dunia UNESCO)
Mountain type: Gunung berapi kompleks (andesitik) aktif
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 10.8300, -85.3239
Difficulty: Las Pailas: jalur lingkar paling mudah diakses; La Cangreja: sedang–berat. Jalur kawah aktif ditutup, bukan pilihan pendakian yang tersedia.
Best Season: Desember–April adalah musim kering; Mei–November lebih basah dan akses jalur air terjun dapat dibatasi saat hujan deras.
Permits & Rules: Beli tiket taman melalui sistem reservasi daring SINAC sebelum datang. Las Pailas buka Selasa–Minggu; jalur kawah aktif dinyatakan ditutup karena aktivitas vulkanik pada sumber resmi yang diperiksa 13 September 2026.
Hazards: Letusan freatik dan gas di kawah aktif; fitur panas bumi dapat mencapai 78–106°C. Tetap di jalur dan belakang pagar; jangan berenang di La Cangreja atau Escondida. Jalur air terjun memiliki tanjakan dan bagian terbuka yang panas.

Description

Rincón de la Vieja (1,916 m in Wikidata) is an active complex volcano in the Cordillera de Guanacaste of northwestern Costa Rica. Its national park has two visitor sectors, Las Pailas and Santa María, with forest, fumaroles and hot mud pools. Las Pailas offers a short geothermal loop, while La Cangreja requires a longer walk through forest and open grassland. The official information checked on 13 September 2026 still lists the active-crater trail as closed because of phreatic eruptions and gas emissions. The massif elevation should not be treated as the elevation of a climbable crater. La Leona, featured in some travel accounts, is a separate private-access visit at Curubandé rather than a national-park waterfall trail.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Jalur Air Terjun La Cangreja

Sedang–berat / Moderate–strenuous

10.00 km ≈4–5 jam pulang-pergi / hours return

This 10 km return walk reaches La Cangreja through forest, hot open grassland and rolling terrain. Start early: dry-season trail entry is 08:00–12:00, while heavy rain may restrict wet-season access. Swimming at the waterfall is prohibited.

Source

Jalur Kawah Aktif — DITUTUP / Active Crater Trail — CLOSED

Ditutup / Closed

Official information checked on 13 September 2026 lists the active-crater trail as closed because of phreatic eruptions and gas emissions. This entry records the route’s status, not an available hiking option. Do not cross closures; wait for an official reopening announcement from park management.

Source

Jalur Lingkar Las Pailas (Sendero Las Pailas)

Mudah–sedang / Easy–moderate

3.00 km ≈2 jam / hours

A 3 km loop passes geothermal features and the transition from dry to moist forest. Park management describes it as the most accessible trail, with a wheelchair-accessible section. Stay behind barriers around fumaroles and hot pools, where geothermal features can reach 78–106°C.

Source

Climbing Experiences

This collection pairs five videos of the Rincón de la Vieja area with a firsthand La Cangreja trip report. The experiences cover Las Pailas, the park’s volcanic features and a separate private-access La Leona visit in Curubandé. Fer Quirós reports a 4.5-hour La Cangreja return hike through forest, savanna and several stream crossings. That account dates from 2020, so its prices and swimming activity are not current rules. Official information checked on 13 September 2026 prohibits swimming at La Cangreja and Escondida and lists the active-crater trail as closed.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.