Minas del Aguacate: river pools & old gold mine

Before you go

Tickets

Free entry, no ticket

Parking

On the street

Walk

400 m

Swimming

Yes

Kids

Good for kids

Dogs

Allowed

Bring

swimsuit, towel, insect repellent, sunscreen, water, headlamp for the mine

Fewer people

go early, preferably Saturday; the upper pool is quieter

Checked

2026-10

Tip

Go early, ideally on a Saturday. From the bridge where you park it is under 400 m to the pools (through a red gate, then uphill). Bring a picnic.

Be careful

Do not leave valuables in the car. Only enter the mine tunnel with a headlamp and sturdy shoes — water runs along the floor and the lights are usually off; access to the tunnels is not always open.

Getting there

On the Aguacate road, about halfway down there is a flat stretch with a couple of bars (one called El Minero); turn uphill there to the bridge and park.

Places nearby

• El Toledo Coffee Tour (organic coffee farm)Food & Coffee · from $30Small organic coffee farm in the hills above Atenas where a family walks you through the plantation, then roasts, brews and serves coffee and tropical fruit; coffee wine tasting is an add-on and farm lunches can be arranged.
• Bar y Restaurante La TrankaFood & CoffeeCasual country bar-restaurant on Route 131 just outside San Mateo, known among locals for rice dishes and seafood soup.
• The Retreat Costa RicaDay Passes & Hot Springs · takes 10 h · from $99Boutique wellness resort in the hills of Atenas, about 35 minutes from San José airport, with daily yoga, a spa and three restaurants.
• El Jardín Orotina (buffet & souvenir stop)Food & CoffeeBig roadside stop near Orotina with a self-service Costa Rican breakfast and lunch buffet, a large souvenir hall, an ice-cream counter and live marimba music.
• Botanical Orchid Garden La GaritaParks & Wildlife · from $6Small botanical garden near the airport with a self-guided path through the grounds, an orchid showroom with hundreds of blooms and koi ponds.
• Fábrica de Carretas Eloy AlfaroTours & AdventureTraditional oxcart workshop and store in Sarchí where artisans hand-paint oxcarts and wooden pieces; visitors can watch the work, walk through the old factory and buy crafts.