Poas Volcano
Poas Volcano
Poas Volcano, nestled deep within Poas National Park, is an active, 2,708-meter stratovolcano in central Costa Rica. Specifically located within the Central Valley Region of Costa Rica, Poas National Park is a small, 5,600-hectare parcel of protected land that includes cloud forest, tropical rainforest, and various upland habitats throughout. Poas Volcano has erupted a total of 39 times since 1878, its last major eruption happening in 1954 according to some, or 2011 according to others. It is known to all though, that perhaps the worst eruption on record happened in 1910 when millions of tons of ash spewed forth in unwavering waves. Poas itself sits at an elevation of 8,885 within the Cordillera Central Range, it and its surrounding park taking up all of 25 square miles.
Poas is considered to be one of the most visited national parks in all of Costa Rica, a powerful symbol of geothermal forces. The crater itself is 1,050 feet deep, and at almost a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide, it is also considered to be the largest active crater in the world. Take the various trails through the cloud forest and Lake Botos and view the hummingbirds, tanagers, flycatchers, toucanets, robins, and quetzal alongside the sulfuric, bubbling, and green rain fed the lake. See smoke and steam erupted from the fumaroles, constant evaporation of water happening and steam pockets forming. The geysers will erupt at on average 820 feet high, right next to the Poas squirrels and escallonia trees that make up the Botos and Escallonia Cloud Forest Trails. There are a modern style visitor center and a small museum on site, which both do their part to explain and interpret the geothermal and ecological attractions within the park, as well as a cafe serving coffee, hot drinks, sandwiches, and snacks! Bring your camera and enjoy the awe-inspiring wonders of Poas Volcano!
