**As of April 2017, the Poas Volcano National Park is closed due to volcanic inactivity.The park is still closed as of 2018**
Poas Volcano National Park is one of the most visited national parks in Costa Rica for several reasons: it has one of the biggest geyser craters in the world, a well designed infrastructure that has everything a tourist needs and a great administration that works to keep everything and everyone safe.
One of the reasons visitors love this national park is that it’s an easy hike to the crater and lake, it’s not very far from San Jose (it’s one of the best day trips from the city) and people like to see if they’re able to get a full view of the crater since it is up in the cloud forest.
This was the first national park I went to in Costa Rica and even though it is a bit small, I was enthralled by the view, the nature and the scenery.
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Poas Volcano National Park
Poas Volcano National park was created in 1971 and in 2013, almost 280,000 people enjoyed this nature masterpiece. The last eruption was registered on October 2013 without causing any major damage.
Location
Poas Volcano National Park is about an hour or so drive from San Jose.
Entrance fee
The Poas Volcano National Park entrance fee is $10 for foreigners and $2 for Costa Ricans or residents. If you are studying in Costa Rica, show your school ID and they will charge you only $1.
How to Get to Poas Volcano National Park
If you rent a car, it’s fairly easy once you are in Alajuela because you will see signs that will guide you to the park. The drive to the park is very nice, you will have a great view from the central valley, pastures, local stores that sell strawberries and souvenirs.
We really enjoy driving there because the views up to the national park are just stunning.
Don’t forget to try some of the strawberries the locals sell along the way! They are some of the juiciest strawberries we’ve ever had and that region is famous for them.
If you’re on a budget, you can take the public bus. There is just 1 bus that departs daily from “Parque de la Merced” in San José at 8 am and the same bus passes by Alajuela around 9 am.
The same bus will leave the park at 2:30 pm. Park hours are from 8 AM to 3:30 PM so make sure you plan accordingly if you are taking the bus.
Poas Volcano National Park Trails
In order to visit the crater, there is a paved road you can walk on to get to the lookout spot. We went at the end of last August and all the times I have been there before, it has always been very cloudy and hard to see the crater.
So when I took Sammi there, I wasn’t expecting to see much more but we were given a nice surprise. It was actually not that cloudy that day and the crater was as clear as it could be.
If you want to hike a little more you can walk to the Botos Lake which takes around 1 hour for the whole loop but it is worth it. You will see the flora and fauna from the park (the park shelters 79 different kind of birds) and the lake is equally as beautiful.
The weather in park is colder since you are high up in elevation. It doesn’t get very hot even in dry season so the air always feels fresh.
Although we went in rainy season, it was perfect weather – cool, and not rainy/cloudy. Most people visit during dry season (Nov/Dec-April) but it is not always guaranteed that you will get a clear view of the crater.
What to wear to the park
We recommend you to bring a sweater or a jacket as it is a little chilly, comfortable closed shoes, and food if you like. There are some picnic areas you can rest and have lunch at as well as a restaurant.
If you are coming in rainy season, make sure to bring a waterproof backpacks. Also make sure to bring a waterproof rain jacket like this one since it is likely to rain or at least sprinkle during those months. It does get a bit chilly so a jacket is useful.
The walk around the volcano and the lake are really lovely and it’s a great way to get introduced to the nature of Costa Rica!
Read about other national parks here!
Turrialba Volcano National Park
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Kelly says
Hello, We are headed your way in February and wanted to know if the Poaz Volcanic park is still closed due to volcanic activity?
-Kelly
Sammi says
Hi Kelly, yes it is currently closed. Activity has been low for a bit so the SINAC is considering re-opening for a short period of time but no word if or when that will happen.
BRIAN says
Y’ALL HAVE AN AWESOME BLOG. FULL OF INFORMATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PAOS VOLCANO AREA IS CLOSED DUE TO ACTIVITY.
IS IT WORTH GOING UP THERE ?
Sammi says
Hi Brian, honestly since the national park is closed, I don’t recommend taking the time to go up there. It’s a beautiful drive up with nice views so you can still go if you want to see the small local towns of Poasito or visit the La Paz waterfalls.
Pam says
Hi there,
I was also planning to go up to Paos, but just learned it’s closed. Is the La Paz Waterfalls worth it, or could you suggest other waterfalls that might have other great things to see nearby. Will be staying in Cartago. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Pam, La Paz waterfall gardens is kind of expensive but it is really nice if you want to see waterfalls since they have 5 in their park. It is also more accessible. There is a waterfall in Turrialba called Aquiares Waterfall that is nice too.
Jen says
Hello! Thank you for your article (your whole website is very useful actually!)
I’m planning my Costa Rica trip with a couple friends in november and I just want to make sure, is the park open 7/7 days? I tried googling it and it says contact&info MON-FRI. We would be visiting on a sunday
Sammi says
Hey Jen, I’m pretty sure it is since it’s the most popular national park in CR. You can ask your hotel just to doublecheck!
Patricia says
Thank you soooo much! I love your article! I’m going next week with my husband. Since we are staying 4 days in San Jose, I was wondering about places to visit while visiting my family. Poas is a great choice. Thanks for the tips. Hoping we can see the crater during our visit.
Sammi says
You’re very welcome! I hope you enjoy Poas and see the crater! 🙂
Neil | Joyfuljourneying says
Thanks for this great write up and the photos. We are renting a car tonight and driving to Poas tomorrow. We plan to leave early in the morning (we are currently staying at an AirBnB in Atenas, about 1.25 hours away) as we hear that earlier in the morning there is a better chance of a view of the crater. Guess we’ll find out!
Looking forward to it. We are also going to check out the La Paz Waterfall Garden, despite the expense.
Sammi says
I hope you guys were able to see the volcano! La Paz is beautiful too, the whole area is just so lovely. Hope you guys had a great time there!
Jeff Johns says
This is awesome! We’ve been trying to plan a trip to Costa Rica for ages, really hope to get there in 2014. Great pictures, great info, so excited to check this out! Cheers and happy travels!
Sammi says
Thanks Jeff! Hope you guys make it here sometime, it’s a great country to visit! So much to do and see. Feel free to ask us for any questions when you start making plans 🙂
Mary {The World Is A Book} says
These are beautiful shots! I’m fascinated with volcanoes especially ones you can get up close. Poas looks awesome. We’ve been trying to go to Costa Rica for ages. I’m so glad to have found you two for such a rich resource on Costa Rica. Botos Lake looks like a great hike.
Sammi says
Thanks Mary! We were so lucky it was a clear day. Poas is one of my favorite volcanoes since it’s pretty unique. I hope you and your family come to Costa Rica soon! It’s a wonderful place for families, Definitely let us know if you happen to pass by the neighborhood 🙂 Thank you so much for the compliment and comment!