Mirador El Silencio (volcano trail reserve)
Viewpoint · Arenal & La Fortuna
A private forest reserve on the north side of Arenal with trails that climb through rainforest toward viewpoints of the cone, the old lava fields and Lake Arenal. Quieter and cheaper than the national park.
- Cost
- about $10
- Time there
- 2.5 h
- Best time
- morning
- Kids
- 4 / 10
- View
- 8 / 10
- Crowds
- 4 / 10
- Swimming
- 0 / 10
- Effort
- 4 / 10
- Location
- 10.47986, -84.72533 — Google Maps
- Ratings
- 4.7 on Google (1,102) · 4.5 on Tripadvisor (151)
Tip
Clouds usually lift early: hike in the morning and carry a rain jacket.
Be careful
Trails get muddy and slippery: stay on marked paths and out of closed volcanic-hazard zones.
Getting there
Paid private reserve (about 10 USD per person reported by a 2025 reviewer): check current price and hours.
Places nearby
- Mirador El SilencioParks & WildlifePrivate reserve 1 km east of Tabacón on Route 142 with a long forest-and-lava hike, a green lagoon and open views of Arenal Volcano; booking ahead is recommended.
- Tabacón Thermal Resort & SpaDay Passes & Hot SpringsHot springs resort at the foot of Arenal Volcano, built around a natural thermal river with waterfalls and pools.
- Nayara Resorts Arenal (Nayara Gardens, Nayara Springs, Nayara Tented Camp)StaysThree small luxury properties side by side near Arenal Volcano: family-friendly Gardens, adults-only Springs with private hot-spring plunge pools, and a clifftop Tented Camp.
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges ParkParks & Wildlife · from $1Mistico is a family-owned private reserve of mature rainforest on the Lake Arenal road, 25–30 minutes west of La Fortuna, and the busiest hanging-bridges park around Arenal.
- Arenal Observatory Lodge & TrailsDay Passes & Hot Springs · takes 3 h–4 h · from $10The only lodge inside Arenal Volcano National Park, with a 350-hectare private reserve that day visitors can explore on 11 km of jungle trails.
- Sloffee Coffee StationFood & CoffeeCoffee station with a small farm setting near Hotel Arenal Paraíso that pairs Costa Rican Arabica with home-baked pies and croissants, with birdwatching and wildlife sightings around the grounds.
Sources: OpenStreetMap node/6291194586 · https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6291194586 · https://wanderlog.com/list/geoCategory/105750