San Pedrillo Ranger Station

The San Pedrillo ranger station is the closest and easiest to access from Drake Bay – it is a 40-minute boat ride or an 11-mile hike by foot. Facilities are attractive and well-kept, painted green to blend in with their surroundings. Four bathrooms and five cold water showers are available to campers. The maximum number of camping tents allowed at the station is 30.

Trails:

San Pedrillo Waterfall Trail:This 2.5-mile trail takes about two hours to hike, and follows a creek to a relaxing waterfall with a swimming hole. Fer-de-lance snakes, monkeys and poison dart frogs are commonly seen along the way.

Rio Pargo Trail:The Rio Pargo (Red Snapper) trailhead picks up about a mile away from the main trail. It is four miles long and takes three hours to complete. Steep at parts, the trail affords some nice views of the Pargo River, and provides ample birding opportunities.

San Pedrillo to Sirena Trail: One of the most intense hikes in the park, this 15-mile trail takes about eight hours to complete. Because it crosses over the Corcovado River, the Llorona River, and the Sirena River, much planning is required to ensure that river crossings are only attempted at low tide. Due to dangers like dehydration, this is for advanced hikers only – and hiring a guide is strongly recommended. This trail is only open during the dry season months of December through April.

Facilities:

There are four main ranger stations within Corcovado National Park. Click on the links to get detailed information about each ranger station.

•    Sirena

•    San Pedrillo

•    La Leona

•    Los Patos

The park’s headquarters are located at Sirena, which is equipped with an airstrip, research station, and dormitory lodging. Camping is permitted in designated areas of all of the park’s ranger stations.  Facilities include potable water and latrines. Tents and sheets are not provided.

Back to Corcovado National Park main page.

Getting There:

San Pedrillo can be reached by boat from Drake Bay. Transportation is usually packaged together with lunch and a guide. The trip takes about 40 minutes. During the dry season, the station is also accessible via the coastal trail from Sirena Station.