Published on Thursday, January 29, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) announced Thursday that Poás Volcano National Park in Alajuela Province has reopened to visitors.

Authorities said the reopening was approved after officials determined that traffic is viable on the bridge over the Tigre River in the Poasito district of Poás canton. The bridge is the park’s only access point.

However, only light vehicles weighing less than nine tons are permitted to cross, they added.

The park had been closed since Dec. 21 after experts from the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) evaluated the bridge and determined it should remain closed until a safer structure could be built.

MOPT crews are continuing the installation of a modular bridge, commonly known as a Bailey bridge, at the site. The structure will serve as a temporary solution to restore vehicle access and allow entry to the park. Installation is expected to take about one month.

 

Traffic may be closed for short periods while crews transport heavy machinery and equipment as construction continues, they added.

Traffic police and road signage will guide drivers of vehicles weighing more than nine tons to Alternate Route 146, known as the old Poás road, which connects the communities of Sabana Redonda, San Juan Norte and Poasito.

Tickets for Poás Volcano National Park must be purchased online in advance through the official SINAC website.

Visitors who purchased tickets while the park was closed may reschedule their visit or request a refund by contacting SINAC at poas.info@sinac.go.cr

To reschedule, visitors must provide their preferred date and time. To request a refund, they must submit a copy of the ticket, proof of payment, a valid ID and bank account details for the transfer.

Poás Volcano National Park covers approximately 16,000 acres, with its summit reaching about 8,900 feet above sea level. When conditions allow, visitors can typically walk to the edge of the main crater.

The main crater, about 950 feet wide, remains highly active and regularly produces geyser-like eruptions and lava outbursts. The park also includes two smaller craters, Von Frantzius and Botos. The Botos Crater is a popular attraction, known for its vivid green lake measuring roughly 1,200 feet in diameter.

In addition to its volcanic features, the park supports a wide range of plant and animal life. Birdwatchers may spot clay-colored robins, quetzals, hummingbirds, tanagers, flycatchers and toucans. Mammals in the park include pumas, coyotes, rabbits, marmots and other species.

The construction of a new bridge in Poás Volcano National Park is part of a broader national effort to improve transportation infrastructure across Costa Rica. Recently, MOPT crews began construction on a new section of Route 1, the northern Inter-American Highway in Guanacaste Province.

SINAC is the government agency that manages Costa Rica’s national parks and protected areas.

MOPT is the state-owned organization that oversees the country’s road network, ports, airports and public transportation systems.

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