The Rincon de la Vieja National Park includes the massif where the Rincón de la Vieja volcano is located. It has an extension of 14,083 hectares distributed in two sectors: Las Pailas and Santa María. It has nine cones and the Jilgueros lagoon.
Located in the provinces of Guanacaste and Alajuela, this protected area is important for the conservation of species of flora and fauna. Likewise, it has a system of hydrographic watersheds originating in the slopes of the volcano, supplying water to a large part of both provinces.
According to legend, the Curubandá indigenous princess, daughter of the great cacique Curubandé, fled crazily to the volcano after her father threw into the crater his beloved prince Mixcoac, head of an enemy tribe. From that forbidden love would be born a child who would also be thrown into the crater by her, in an effort to reunite him with his father. Since then, Curubandá lived near the place, aged and became the famous healer who learned the secrets of healing using medicines obtained in the vicinity of the volcano. Thus, when his patients went to look for her, they said: “I’m going to the corner of the old woman,” or “I’m going to the old woman’s corner.”
In this area, there are trees such as laurel, guanacaste, bitter cedar, naked Indian and copey, among others. The Rincon de la Vieja is also a refuge for a population of Guaria Morada in the wild. Mammals such as the saino, guatuza, tolomuco, armadillo, white-faced, howler and colorado monkeys are very common, and around 300 species of birds have been identified.
Among the attractions offered by the park are numerous trails, waterfalls, pools, hot springs, viewpoints and the Casona de Santa María, the house where the owners of the hacienda once lived, originally built in bahareque and wood, with an internal central patio.
In the vicinity of the administrative area there are health services, and areas for lunch and camping, as well as a mill or trapiche.
