Altos de Campana National Park National Park

Address: Altos de Campana National Park, Panamá Oeste Province, Panama

Website: https://www.anam.gob.pa/ (Panama national parks resources)

Hours: Daylight hours

Admission: Park entrance free; some trails and guided tours may have fees

Altos de Campana National Park is a protected area in Panamá Oeste Province that preserves montane forest and highland habitats on the Pacific slope of Panama. It is a noted local center for upland forest, endemic plants and birdlife.

Trails lead through forested slopes to viewpoints on the park’s ridges where visitors can see fragmented mountain forest, valleys and, on clear days, distant coastal plains. The park is used for day hiking, birdwatching and low-impact nature visits rather than intensive recreation infrastructure.

The park was established to conserve the highland ecosystems and watersheds of the area and to provide public access to mountain scenery and forested trails. Management has focused on protecting native flora and fauna and maintaining trail access for visitors.

Altos de Campana sits in the western highlands of Panama, within Panamá Oeste Province, occupying upland terrain that forms a transition between coastal lowlands and inland mountain zones. The park is inland from the Pacific coast and northwest of Panama City.

• Conservation value: The park protects cloud-forest remnants and upland watersheds that are important for regional biodiversity and local water supply.

What to See#

• Cerro Campana: The park is dominated by a ridgeline and high-elevation forest that visitors access via several trails; one prominent high point is Cerro Campana, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding lowlands.

Altos de Campana National Park is roughly an hour’s drive from Panama City, heading west on the Pan-American Highway (Interamericana) and turning toward the interior at the town of La Chorrera or La Arena depending on route. Access is by car; local tour operators in Panama City and nearby towns offer guided day trips.

• Start early for the Sendero trails to avoid heat and to catch valley views before haze builds.
• Pack insect repellent and sturdy footwear - trails can be rooty and muddy after rain.
• Visit the Mirador de la India for sunrise views over the Pacific lowlands; it's steep but worth the vantage.