Costa Rica

Location: Guanacaste Province, 241 km. (150 mi.) northwest of San José on the Inter-American Hwy, between Bebedero and the Tempisque River, 30 km. (17 mi.) west of Cañas

See North Pacific Tourism Region

Size: 45,492 acres

Date of Creation: April 1978

Part of: Tempisque Conservation Area

About:

Palo Verde is the heart of the Tempisque Lowlands, a migratory and resident waterfowl refuge along the Tempisque River in Guanacaste. For most of the year, the lakes here are inhabited by more than 50,000 waterfowl and forest birds.

The topography of the park is a mosaic of floodplain habitats (marsh land) bordered by rivers and a ridge of limestone hills. The floodplain is very poorly drained, and consequently is subject to seasonal floods of great magnitude, creating twelve to fifteen wildlife habitats, including salt and fresh water lakes and swamps, grasslands with black mangroves, mangrove swamps, pastures, lowland stunted forests, low limestone hills, wooded savannas and evergreen forests. The park was named after "palo verde" (hose bean) trees, abundant in most areas of the park. These are a leafy bush, the branches and parts of the trunk light green in color. The hilly areas of the park are home to an endemic species of cactus. The nearly-extinct lignum-vitae tree, prized for its wood, is also found here.

From November to January, the extensive dry-forest and seasonal swamp areas of the park serve as a temporary home to thousands of migratory birds. Palo Verde's water system supports one of the largest concentrations of waterfowl and wading birds, both native and migratory, in all of Central America. The most common are herons, ducks, wood storks and elegant roseate spoonbills. The park is the nesting grounds of the endangered jabiru and home to the only colony of scarlet macaws in the dry Pacific.

Killer bees have colonized this area, so be on the lookout for them. These creatures are very aggressive and will attack in swarms if you disturb their nest or look as if you're thinking of doing so. If do have a run-in with the bees, cover your head and run in a zigzag pattern to throw them off your trail.

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Weather:

Activities:

Camping facilities are available near the research station. Hiking and bird & wildlife watching are popular here.

Facilities:

The ranger station, operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies, is open for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Lodging, meals and tours are available with reservations. 

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Trails:

There are several trails in the park that pass through the tropical dry forest including the Las Calizas Trail, El Mapache, El Manigordo, and La Venada Trail.

Consult the ranger before entering any trail, since access to different areas depends on weather.

Flora & Fauna:

This is a bird watcher's paradise with more than 300 species of birds ranging from waterfowl like roseate spoonbills, white ibis, wood storks and  anhingas to scarlet macaws. Costa Rica’s largest population of black-crowned night herons is found in the Park.

The most common mammals found here are the howler and white-faced monkeys, white nosed coati, white tailed deer, tree squirrel and porcupine. Crocodiles up to five meters (16 feet) long have been seen in the Tempisque River. Swimmers take note.

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Fees and Schedule:

Park Admission: $7
You can camp for a $2 per day fee near the administration building. For another $10 per day, the rangers will provide meals.

Getting There:

From Bagaces, drive southwest about 30 km (40 mi.) There are signs all along the road leading you to the park, but the signs are far apart, so you'll have to keep your eyes open as the roads fork from time to time with no indication of which way you should go.

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Where to Stay:

The research station at OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies) has some rooms for rent. Contact their office in San José for a reservation.

Nearby Parks:

Contact info: 

506-524-0607