Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the ranger station at Sector Las Pailas, the path crosses a river on a suspension bridge and climbs gently through dry forest. It comes out at the thermal area: steam vents and fumaroles, a steaming lagoon, the volcancito, a small cone of grey mud, and pools of boiling water. The loop then turns south and west through forest and open grassland to the mud pots, where grey mud bubbles and spits, before heading back to the station.
It is 3.7 km round with 133 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy: a good path, partly concrete, with some rough and rocky stretches.
The water and mud are between 78 and 106 °C: stay behind the railings and on the path. Rincón de la Vieja has been erupting often since July 2026, and on 1 October the national emergency commission put the surrounding districts on yellow alert. The crater trail is closed, and Las Pailas can close at short notice after eruptions or heavy rain: check the day before.
Las Pailas is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8am to 3pm, and closed on Mondays. Tickets (US$16.95 for non-residents) must be bought online from SINAC beforehand. The sector is about 25 km from Liberia, and a private road on the way charges ₡800 a person. Leave nothing of value in the car.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- The loop passes fumaroles, a steaming lagoon, boiling water pots and bubbling mud pots, some between 78 and 106 °C
- Rincón de la Vieja is part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- The trail runs from dry forest into moister forest, and the change shows in the trees along the way
- The volcano's active crater has had frequent small phreatic eruptions for years, and the trail to it stays closed
Getting there
Start: Sector Las Pailas car park. 10.77291, -85.35042
Directions to the start
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Guanacaste: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.