Pailas Trail or La Cangreja Waterfall Hike in Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Two hikes are on offer inside Rincon de la Vieja National Park, and travelers choose one. The Pailas trail takes two to three hours through several kinds of forest on the slopes of the country's most active volcano. Its volcanic features are a fumarolic lagoon, a small crater, natural pools of hot water and the mud pools called Pailas de Barro. They are for looking at only, since the park is a walking destination. The forest stays green all year, and the wildlife can include spider, white-faced and howler monkeys, agouti, coati, birds, snakes, raccoons and lizards, and in some parts of the year a tapir. La Cangreja is the harder option: a 6.2-mile round trip of about four hours, rated moderate to challenging. It runs through rainforest, old-growth trees, volcanic terrain and panoramic viewpoints, with toucans overhead. The trail ends at the 130-foot La Cangreja Waterfall, known for turquoise-blue water in the dry season. Travelers drive from Liberia to the park, and the guide meets them at the park reception.