Nobody has been allowed to the crater since 2011.
But further down, the heat reaches the surface on its own.
In the Las Pailas sector the ground boils – a 3 km (1.9 mile) loop, two hours.
Scroll –
from the summit down to the mud
Rincón de la Vieja is currently Costa Rica's most active volcano. The OVSICORI observatory has had it at level 3 of 4 ("Precaución") since 24 July 2026 – the only volcano in the country at that level. Over 100 eruptions were counted between July and August, the last strong one on 18 September. Even so, both visitor sectors on the south flank are open: the eruptions affect the closed summit crater and the rivers on the north flank.
Important: we do not have an explicit "park open" notice from the park administration dated after 18 September – this status relies on the ACG's pages (with no closure notice) and press reports. So check the OVSICORI level and the ACG's channels the day before, or call the Las Pailas station: (506) 2666-5051, WhatsApp 8886-9510. Trails can be closed without warning.
The Sendero Cráter Activo has been closed since the eruption of September 2011 – officially "temporary," in practice for 15 years. There is no legal way to the summit, guided or not.
A loop trail to fumaroles and boiling mud pots, plus the trails to the La Cangreja and Escondida waterfalls. 8 am to 3 pm, closed Mondays.
The quieter east sector with a historic Casona, cool mud pots and hot springs (swimming banned). 8 am to 3:30 pm, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Hot mudflows (lahars) can occur without visible warning, per OVSICORI, in the Pénjamo, Azul and Pizote rivers and the Quebrada Azufrada. Ask which waterway is used for tubing or horseback tours.
Photo: Panegyrics of Granovetter · CC BY-SA 2.0
"Pailas" means cauldrons – and that's exactly what the loop trail is: a forest where the ground itself is boiling. You smell the sulfur before you see anything. Then steam hisses from a crack, gray mud throws up slow bubbles, and in a hollow the "Volcancito" smokes – a small steaming crater in the middle of the dry forest.
The trail is 3 km (1.9 miles) long and takes about two hours; per the park administration, one section is wheelchair accessible. It alternates between shady forest and open, hot savanna. The mud and steam are scalding hot – the barriers are meant seriously, especially with kids.
What you don't see: the active crater, lava or glow. This year's eruptions are steam and mud explosions from the crater lake at the summit. The loop trail is far below, on the south flank.
Affiliate links to GetYourGuide: if you book, we earn a commission and the price stays the same. Prices and ratings as of 21 September 2026. The La Leona waterfall is not on the park administration's official trail list for the national park. For tubing, ask in advance which river is used. The selection for this volcano is small, and many tours still have only a few reviews.
Since 1 August 2023, every visitor must buy a ticket in advance through the SINAC system SICORE – for both sectors. The ranger stations take neither cash nor card. Don't count on cell coverage on the mountain: book in Liberia or at your hotel.
Las Pailas is closed Mondays, Santa María Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you're in the area on a Monday, switch to Santa María. Public holidays are regular opening days.
At serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr, choose "Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja," then the sector, date and time. Enter each visitor's name, ID number and country, and pay by credit or debit card. Maximum 10 tickets per transaction.
Not even for rain; tickets are non-transferable. If the park closes for an emergency, SINAC will rebook on request: reservaciones.sinac@sinac.go.cr.
It's coolest at 8 am, and Las Pailas already closes at 3 pm. If you're headed to a waterfall, you need to set off by noon.
| Foreign adults | $16.95 (approx. €15) |
| Foreign children 2–12 | $5.65 (approx. €5) |
| Costa Ricans and residents: adults / children | ₡1,130 / ₡565 |
| Camping in Sector Santa María, in addition to admission | $4 (approx. €3.50) |
| 24 August, National Parks Day | free admission |
All open trails are marked and can be walked without a guide. Swimming is banned throughout the national park – at the waterfalls as well as in the Santa María hot springs. Doing the loop trail and a waterfall in one day only works with an 8 am start.
| Sendero Circular Las Pailas | 3 km (1.9 mile) loop, about 2 hours, easy. Fumaroles, boiling mud pots, hot pools, the Volcancito. One section wheelchair accessible. |
| Catarata La Cangreja | 5 km (3.1 miles), 4–5 hours round trip, moderate. Start only between 8 am and noon (dry season); in the rainy season the administration manages access by conditions. Open, shadeless savanna stretches. Swimming banned. |
| Catarata Escondida | 4.3 km (2.7 miles), 4–5 hours round trip, moderate. Same trailhead as La Cangreja, later fork. Start only 8 am–noon. Swimming banned. |
| Sector Santa María | Sendero Colibrí 500 m (0.3 miles) · Pailas de Agua Fría 1 km (2 km/1.2 miles round trip) · hot springs about 3 km (1.9 miles) from the Casona, with river crossings · Bosque Encantado waterfall. Half a day for everything. |
| Sendero Cráter Activo | Closed since September 2011 due to volcanic activity and gases. No reopening in sight. |
Photo: Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 3.0
By car: Las Pailas: from Liberia north on the Pan-American Highway, then up through Curubandé to the ranger station (the access road passes Hacienda Guachipelín). Santa María: 20 km (12.4 miles) from Liberia, reachable with a normal car; a vehicle with higher clearance helps in the rainy season. Parking at both stations.
Dry season, December to April: safer trails, open waterfall routes (start by noon) and a clear view of the summit – but with heat, wind and little water at the seasonal falls. In the rainy season (May to November) the forest is green and it's less crowded, but the waterfall trails are restricted by conditions, and Santa María calls for a higher-clearance vehicle. Always start early: it's coolest at 8 am, and Las Pailas closes at 3 pm already. When planning a route, keep Monday (Las Pailas closed) and Tuesday/Wednesday (Santa María closed) in mind.
Swimming is banned everywhere inside the national park. For warm water, head to the private haciendas and operators on the south flank – they sit outside the park, and their admission has nothing to do with the SINAC ticket.
Affiliate links to GetYourGuide: if you book, we earn a commission and the price stays the same. Prices and ratings as of 21 September 2026. For comparison: official admission through SINAC costs $16.95 (approx. €15).
As of 21 September 2026: yes, both sectors. The volcano is at OVSICORI level 3 of 4, but the eruptions affect the closed summit and the rivers to the north. No park notice dated after 18 September is available – check OVSICORI and the ACG the day before, or call the station: (506) 2666-5051.
Not in the national park – swimming is banned everywhere there, including the Santa María hot springs. Hot pools and mud baths are available at private haciendas outside the park boundary, with their own admission.
For a first visit, Las Pailas: that's where the loop trail with fumaroles and mud pots and the waterfall trails are. Santa María is quieter, with a historic Casona, cool mud pots and a campground – and the fallback on Mondays, when Las Pailas is closed.
No. The current eruptions are steam and mud explosions from the crater lake at the summit, which is closed. On the visitor trails you see fumaroles, boiling mud and hot pools.
Yes. It's about a 45- to 60-minute drive to Las Pailas, and the loop trail takes about two hours. With an 8 am start you can also fit in a waterfall trail (4–5 hours) – the sector closes at 3 pm.
No. The crater trail has been closed since an eruption in September 2011 and remains so given the current activity. Ignoring the closure risks a fine of about ₡1.39 million since April 2026.
Only online at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr, for both sectors. You need a user account, the passport numbers of everyone visiting, and a credit card. Nothing has been sold at the ranger station since August 2023.
$16.95 for foreign adults (about €15) and $5.65 for children 2 to 12, both including VAT. Camping in Santa María costs an extra $4.
Las Pailas is closed Mondays and otherwise open 8 am to 3 pm. Santa María is open Thursday through Monday, 8 am to 3:30 pm, so closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The loop is 3 km (1.9 miles) and takes about two hours. It passes fumaroles, boiling mud pots and a mini volcano, and is the real reason to visit.
If you have the time and stamina: yes, but they're 5 km and 4.3 km (3.1 and 2.7 miles) one way and four to five hours round trip. You must start by noon, and swimming is banned.
No, all open trails are marked and can be walked alone. A nature guide helps spot wildlife but is optional and not included in the ticket.
The Las Pailas loop, yes – short, varied and partly even wheelchair accessible. Kids must stay behind the barriers, though, since mud and steam are scalding hot. The waterfall trails are too long for small children.
By rental car via Curubandé in just under an hour to Las Pailas; the Santa María sector is 20 km (12.4 miles) from Liberia on its own access road. In the rainy season the park administration recommends a higher-clearance vehicle for Santa María.
No. Swimming in the Santa María hot springs is banned to protect sensitive organisms, as it is at the waterfalls. Hot pools and mud baths are offered by private haciendas outside the park boundary.
The same basic rule applies to all four: admission only with an online ticket from the SINAC system.
Sources · accessed on 21 September 2026
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