Poas Volcano National Park

Poás Volcano National Park, in Spanish Parque Nacional Volcán Poás, is a National Park that covers an area of approximately 16,000 acres (65 km²); the summit is 8,900 feet (2,708 m). One of the attractive features about Poás is that you can get all the way to the edge of the crater. The volcano is located in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area located in the Alajuela Province near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, which encompasses the area around the Poás Volcano. The main crater is 950 feet (289 m) deep and is quite active with frequent small geyser and lava eruptions, however the last major eruptions were during 1952-54. Two more craters make up parts of the park, the extinct Von Frantzuis crater and the Botos crater. Botos is a beautiful cold, green water crater lake with a diameter of 1,200 feet (365 m). The Botos crater has not erupted for about 7,500 years. Well-marked trails will take you to see the two inactive craters. The park is frequently closed to visitors because of sulphuric gas emissions. There are a number of indications that the volcano is slowly building towards a new eruption over the last decade.

Flora and fauna

The park maintains a variety of wild plant and animal species, such as the Poas Magnolia tree, and Bangs's Mountain Squirrel. It is home to many bird species, including the Clay-colored Robin and the Resplendent Quetzal and varieties of hummingbirds, tanagers, flycatchers and toucans.