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Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

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Last Updated on Monday, 17 August 2009 19:36

Location: Monteverde, in the Puntarenas province (though its boundaries also extend into the Guanacaste and Alajuela provinces)

See Monteverde Tourism Region

Size: 765 acres

Date of Creation: 1992

About:

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is a private, non-profit reserve managed by and for the community. The Santa Elena agricultural high school, along with the Costa Rican Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Education cooperatively manage the reserve to promote conservation, education and environmentally sustainable tourism. All proceeds from admittance fees and the gift shop help fund community projects, the high school and reserve maintenance.

Located approximately 3.5 miles northeast of downtown Santa Elena, the cloud forest, whose full name is the Santa Elena Professional Technical High School’s Cloud Forest Reserve, sits slightly higher in elevation than the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Smaller and younger, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve receives only 1/10 the number of visitors as its big brother, allowing for quiet trails and smaller guided groups.

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve sits astride the continental divide, vivisected by the Tilaran Mountain Range. Its geographical position and the ensuing trade winds greatly affect the park’s weather – during the dry season (December-April), the winds create very windy and misty conditions. The dry season brings less rainfall, but is by no means dry – misty, windy conditions prevail, and it never ceases to rain lightly. In fact, the wet season (May-November) actually experiences more hours of sun per day, with sunny mornings and heavy downpours in the afternoons.

Travel Blog:

Read our Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve adventures in our travel blog

Weather:

Average Temperature: 64 to 70° F

Average Annual Rainfall: 144 inches (12 feet)

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest is very moist year-round. Its dry season lasts from December-April, though visitors should note that these months are not entirely dry – the cloud forest is nearly always misty. A short Indian summer arrives in July, during which the dry season’s misty, windy conditions return, and downpours are less common.

Activities:

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is idea for hiking, birding and wildlife watching. As of 2009, the reserve does not permit camping.

Trails:

Hiking along the reserve’s rustic but well-maintained trails is the best way to see the forest’s epiphyte-laden trees. Beginning at the visitor’s center, several trails lead hikers through mostly primary growth cloud forest (80% of the reserve) where moss, lichens, bromeliads and tree-dwelling orchids cover almost every surface.

There are four trails, totaling eight miles, leading off from the visitor center, and a new handicap-accessible trail is under construction – the 2000-foot loop is scheduled for completion in 2009. Trail hikes vary in length from less than one mile to three miles and take 45 minutes to four hours to complete. On muddy days, rubber boots may be rented at the visitor’s center before setting out onto the trails.

The longest park pathway, the Black Canyon Trail (Sendero Cano Negro – 3 miles), takes about three to four hours to walk. The Enchanted Trail (Sendero Encantado – 2.1 miles) is excellent for birding as it climbs and descends through valleys, passing from the Pacific to the Caribbean and back again. The well-maintained trail is a common place to spot the three-wattled bellbird, quetzal and howler monkey, and is a common choice for guided tours.

The Low Trail (Sendero El Bajo – 1.6 miles) boasts many creek crossings and passes through more secondary growth forest, providing a diverse canopy and sunny openings for birding. The shortest, the Youth Challenge Trail (named after a Canadian student group) extends nearly a mile. This trail is best for lookouts and is about a 45-minute hike. There is a tower here offering views of five volcanoes on a clear day: Arenal Volcano and its namesake lake, Rincon de la Vieja, Tenorio, Miravalles and Poas. Lake Nicaragua can also be viewed on the clearest of days from the tower.

Flora & Fauna:

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve teems with life – the wet and cloudy conditions provide an ideal habitat for both flora and fauna. In fact, scientists have already recorded more than 400 bird species, 121 mammal species, 140 reptile and amphibian species, 800 tree species and 3000 vascular plant species, and believe that many other species still await discovery.

Birdwatching is one of the reserve’s most popular activities, and the Santa Elena Reserve is well known for its 30 hummingbird species, toucans, great green macaw, three-wattled bellbird, resplendent quetzal, black-faced solitaires and other hard-to-spot bird species. Mammal lovers often spot howler monkeys, agoutis, coatimundis and sloths in the trees. Other highlights include five cat species (ocelots and jaguars are the easiest to spot, though my no means common), tarantulas, tens of thousands of insect species, poison dart frogs, tree frogs and more.

Note: Quetzals exhibit altitudinal migration in the Monteverde area and are best viewed in the Santa Elena Reserve from December-July.

Fees and Schedule:

Schedule: Open daily from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Fees: $12 adults (non-resident), student with ID: $6.00

Guides: $15 per person + entrance fee

Night tour: $15 per person (guide included); reservations are required

Facilities:

An information office, gift shop, small restaurant, coffee shop and trails are on site. There are no camping facilities, and overnighting at the reserve is not permitted. Volunteers may stay in the park’s rustic dormitories (no electricity or hot water) for the duration of their assignment.

Getting There:

Driving: From the town of Santa Elena, drive north from the old Banco Nacional, going down a steep hill and then taking the first gravel road to the right. Follow the signs for Selvatura and Sky Adventures. Continue past Sky Adventures and Selvatura; the dirt road dead-ends at the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve.

Public Shuttle: Daily shuttles leave from the old Banco Nacional in Santa Elena at 6:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Reservations are required for the $1 (one-way) journey.

Taxi: A taxi from Santa Elena should cost approximately $9

Recommendations:

Always bring hiking shoes and a wind-breaker or light jacket. The continental divide can be quite windy, and the weather may change rapidly without warning.