Los Quetzales National Park National Park

Hours: Park access varies with rangers - typically dawn to dusk

Admission: CRC 3,000-5,000 (~$5-$8) for guided access (approx.)

Los Quetzales National Park is a protected area in the highlands of Costa Rica’s San José Province that conserves montane cloud forest and habitat for the resplendent quetzal and other high-elevation species. It was created to protect highland forest and important water catchments.

The park offers montane forest, steep ridges and cloud-forest habitats popular with birdwatchers and naturalists. Trails and forest edges provide opportunities to see highland bird species and understory mammals in cooler, wet forest conditions.

Los Quetzales was designated by the Costa Rican government as a national park to secure water sources and specialized highland ecosystems and to limit land conversion around the upper watersheds. Management focuses on habitat protection and controlled visitor access.

Geographically the park sits in the central-southern highlands of Costa Rica within the Talamanca/Central mountain area. It occupies high-elevation terrain between the central valley region and the southern Pacific slopes.

The park is reached from San Isidro de El General (Pérez Zeledón). From San Isidro, drive or take a local taxi northeast toward the highlands and the town of San Gerardo de Rivas; local trails and ranger stations are accessed from road junctions east of the town. Public buses reach San Isidro from San José (approximately 3-4 hours); from there arrange local transport or a guided tour (1-1.5 hours to trailheads).

• Hire a local guide from San Isidro de El General for the best birding routes - they know where quetzal nests are most reliably found.
• Dawn and dusk bring the best chance to see resplendent quetzals; be prepared to wait quietly for long stretches.
• Pack rain gear even in short-dry-season visits - cloud forest drizzle is frequent and sudden.