Location
Arenal National Park, between Guanacaste and Alajuela Provinces
Altitude
1,633 meters (5,358 feet)
Description
Arenal Volcano
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica is one of the best known in Costa Rica. This almost perfect cone shaped giant is located in the province of Alajuela, about 4 hours to the north of San Jose. Volcano aficionados have declared Arenal the third most perfect volcanic cone in the world. It's also the most active volcano in Costa Rica. You'll enjoy sitting back with your cup of tea as night settles in the sky reddens with fire and incandescent rocks bounding down the mountain slopes.
Located seven kilometers from Fortuna, Volcan Arenal has an area of 33 square kilometers. The volcano has experienced constant activity since July 29, 1968. Its landscape has two faces: one covered with lush vegetation sheltering a variety of wildlife, and the other rugged with lava tracts and sand from the constant eruptions. Considered the region's main attraction, Arenal offers daytime and nighttime viewing opportunities, thanks to its constant explosions and eruptions.
You can stay close to it in the town of La Fortuna or in one of the many hotels or resorts that line the road towards the National Park and Arenal volcano. Diverse conditions around sometimes cause La Fortuna Arenal Volcano to be shrouded in clouds even when the rest of the sky is clear in addition, the area receives between 3.5 and 5 meters of rain a year: the chances of seeing it clear are increased in August and September, when the Caribbean region has a dry spell. An Arenal Volcano fact is that since it is covered you can enjoy its influence: the mineral springs of Tabacon River are kept warm due to the volcanic activity underground, and the land surrounding it is very fertile due to the high mineral levels and the plants thrive because of it.
The volcano was previously called "Arenal Hill" or "Sugar Bread Mount" by the locals because it was considered extinct, although some locals claim that fumaroles and vents could be seen when weather conditions allowed. This perception changed in 1968 at 7:30 am, when it awoke with a violent explosion of lava, rocks, ash and gases, killing 78 and destroying the Costa Rican townships of Pueblo Nuevo, Tabacon and San Luis, to the west of the misnamed "mount". These eruptions continued for several days, with the resulting destruction of land, property, livestock, forests and crops.
After Arenal Volcano's eruption there was a lull in activity, but the volcano made sure to keep the population of Costa Rica on its toes: ever so often it would shake up the neighboring villages with powerful explosions of rocks, ash and rivers of lava streaming from the crater. The latest strong volcanic activity of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica happened on August 23rd, 2000 and September 5th, 2003, changing the direction of lava flows from West to North. The activity serves as a constant reminder for locals and visitors alike that this colossus not only has the ability to destroy, but also to help build a flourishing economy and industry based on tourism.
Punctuated with a roar and a boom, Arenal Volcano's gaseous eruptions, lava effusions and pyroclastic flows (avalanches of molten rocks, ash and high temperature gases) have become a daily occurrence. When the day is clear, ash plumes weave up, rising from the tip of the volcano, and at night, the brilliant lava and glowing incandescent rocks can be seen rolling down the slopes, bright red on black. As you clamber on top of the massive boulders and slabs left by old lava flows, the true size of the specks you may have seen tumbling down the sides of the volcano are revealed.
Arenal Volcano
Arenal volcano is a conical stratovolcano of very recent origin, which started erupting again in 1968 with a big Peleean type explosion that formed a crater half way up the cone and gave off glowing clouds of gasfluidized material that caused a great deal of destruction. In 1975, it shook again with four explosions that threw great clouds of ashes. Since becoming active again, it has emitted over 60 lava flows and the interesting phenomenon of forest succession can be seen on some of them.
Some Arenal Volcano info is that this hulking wonder of nature rises 5,356 feet (1,633 meters) above sea level. An area of 9,884 acres (4,000 hectares) around Arenal Volcano has been protected under the status of a national park since 1994. The temperatures in the area range from 72 to 84ºF (22 to 29ºC). In the region's eco system you will find different kinds of snakes, jaguars, and peccaries at Arenal Volcano Costa Rica.
Geologists warn that the Arenal Volcano could, without warning, blow up again. Park officials recommend that tourists keep a good distance from the crater. The safest spot from which to view the volcano is inside the parking lot.
The visitor's center near the Arenal volcano has an auditorium, an exhibition hall, a souvenir store, and restrooms. Marked hiking trails lead to various points of interest and scenic overlooks (see trail map above) Arenal Costa Rica National Parks.
Costa Rican Volcanoes 
