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- The network of hanging bridges — Thirty-ish minutes on the bridges and you’ll understand why this park is famous: a series of suspension and fixed bridges put you at canopy level over valleys, so you get those rare forest-eye views without having to climb a giant tree. The variety of lengths and heights gives different perspectives of the same jungle, and walking between bridges feels more like a canopy hop than a regular trail.
- Arenal Volcano & Lake viewpoints — On a clear day the viewpoints give dramatic, postcard-worthy lines of Arenal and the lake below. It’s one of the few short hikes in the area where you can combine close-up rainforest immersion with that open, volcano-dominant horizon — just don’t be mad at the weather if the clouds steal the show.
- Birdlife and arboreal mammals
- The network of hanging bridges — Thirty-ish minutes on the bridges and you’ll understand why this park is famous: a series of suspension and fixed bridges put you at canopy level over valleys, so you get those rare forest-eye views without having to climb a giant tree. The variety of lengths and heights gives different perspectives of the same jungle, and walking between bridges feels more like a canopy hop than a regular trail.
- Arenal Volcano & Lake viewpoints — On a clear day the viewpoints give dramatic, postcard-worthy lines of Arenal and the lake below. It’s one of the few short hikes in the area where you can combine close-up rainforest immersion with that open, volcano-dominant horizon — just don’t be mad at the weather if the clouds steal the show.
- Birdlife and arboreal mammals — This trail is a bona fide bird magnet: toucans, tanagers, trogons and a constant background of hummingbirds. Bring binoculars; you’ll often spot howler and capuchin monkeys moving through the canopy and the occasional sloth hung out quietly in the treetops. The bridges make spotting easier because you’re eye-level with lots of treetop activity.
- Epiphyte and orchid displays — Walks between bridges are full of bromeliads, orchids and massed epiphytes clinging to old trees. It’s a good place to learn how life in the canopy organizes itself: little plant communities on branches, pollinator activity, and massive strangler figs that tell stories about the forest’s age and disturbance history.
- Stream valleys and mini-waterfalls — The trails dip into ravines and cross small streams, so you get the sound and smell of wet forest alongside the drier canopy stretches. Those valley spots are great for different wildlife (frogs, stream birds) and cooler microclimates — perfect for a slow, quiet break away from the busier viewpoints.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.