National Park General Information   Location: Northwestern end of Costa Rica 's Central Valley Size: 14,258 hectares

Juan Castro Blanco National Park

This national park stands at the northwestern end of the Central Valley , becoming part of the Central Volcanic Range Conservation Area together with other nearby protected areas. Juan Castro Blanco National Park was set up to protect a strip of primary and secondary woodland, located between 700 and 2,267 meters above the sea level.  Three life zones contain the abundant plant life, premontane rain forest, very wet premontane forest and low montane rain forest.

This national park offers 44 species of amphibians, 15% of the national total of reptiles, 107 species of birds and 30 mammals, 64 of these species are classified as threatened or endangered in Costa Rica.

Recently declared in 1992, this park is designed to protect the cloud forest habitat and important watershed atop the westernmost peaks of the Central Volcanic Cordillera. Although there have been no eruptions recorded during recent history, the volcanic origins of this massif are underscored by the numerous hot springs that emerge from its northern flank. The highest points on the summit are: Porvenir Volcano ( 2,267 m .), Platanar Volcano ( 2,183 m .), and Viejo Volcano ( 2,060 m .).

Unfortunately, the government has yet to finance the purchase of the private property affected by the declaration of this park, and so to date there are no facilities for visitors.