National Park General Information   Size: 5,599 hectares Distance from San José : 37 Kilometers  Trails: Yes. Dry Season: December through April.

Poas National Park

Poas is an strato volcano that soars 2,708 meters above sea level.  It is one of the most spectacular volcanoes in Costa Rica , with a breathtaking scenery.  It has also produced excellent soil for cultivation and has considerable potential for producing energy from hydrological and geothermal resources.

Besides the main crater, Botos Lake and the von Frantzius cone, there are at least half a dozen piroclastic cones in the surrounding savannah woodland of Redonda and Bajos del Tigre.  These cones are made of ash, lapilli, fusiform bombs and small lava flows. There are four main habitats in the park, areas with little or no vegetation, an area of arrayans, a stunted forest, and a cloud forest.  Examples of the flora include small cypress, tucuico, small cedar and small cypres.  The dwarf forest predominates in this area.

There are some mammals that live in the park. These include marmots (which are marsupials), shrews that are amongst the smallest mammals in the world, bats and over 79 avian species like sooty robins, black guan, quetzal and the emerald toucanet. The park is located northeast of the city of Alajuela , which is situated near San Jose , in the Centrall Valley .