Monteverde: A Forest in the Clouds
Located in the country’s northwestern mountains and straddling the Continental Divide is one of Costa Rica’s top ecotourism destinations, Monteverde. Translating to Green Mountain, this small town, originally founded by Quakers, really lives up to its name. Here, trees are covered in layers of thick moss and plants grow on top of one another due to a constant haze of misty clouds and filtered sun. This unique habitat, called the cloud forest, is home to an abundance of birds and wildlife. We recently took our second trip to Monteverde to further explore this remote destination.
Our first trip to Monteverde was back in February during Costa Rica’s dry season. At that time, conditions were cool (by Costa Rica standards) and wet, and we found ourselves shivering as we hiked along the trails of the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. This most recent visit was in late June during the country’s rainier months, so we were curious as to what we were in for. Better prepared this time with more layers, we set off down the rough dirt road from our current location near Lake Arenal.
Tip: If you’re renting a car for your visit, be sure to get a 4×4 as the road conditions are constantly changing due to heavy rains and minimal upkeep. We came across some tough, muddy areas outside of Tilaran where higher ground clearance and four-wheel drive were definitely helpful.
Monterverde and the neighboring town of Santa Elena have several cloud forest reserves with hiking trails. The most visited by far is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where we were headed. The higher altitude Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and the nearby Children’s Eternal Rainforest, the largest private reserve in Costa Rica, are two other popular options.
Arriving at the Monteverde Reserve, we noticed that the parking lot was almost full and a large tour bus had just pulled in. Luckily the reserve has eight trails and there was plenty of space to accommodate everyone. On our visit, most people seemed to opt for the main loop with the hanging bridge (Sendero Camino and Sendero Wilford Guindon), which is shorter, taking about 1.5 hours. Since we had more time, we took a longer, 3 hour route along the perimeter of the property first. We started on the Cloud Forest Trail (Sendero Bosque Nuboso) per the guidance of our bird book, which said it was one of the best places to spot the elusive Resplendant Queztal, a magnificent iridescent green and red bird with extraordinarily long tail feathers. Unfortunately, our timing wasn’t right and we weren’t able to spot one. Tip: Try to plan your visit for late March to April, which is Resplendent Quetzal breeding season and by far the easiest time to spot these shy creatures.
Although there were no Quetzals to be found, the hike was still amazing. The cloud forest is a very unique ecosystem, and at times you feel that you’re a world away. Thick moss and lichens cover every inch of tree bark and rock. Broad-leaf plants, vines, and bromeliads weigh down the lofty branches above, while colorful orchids of pink, purple, orange, and yellow splash the wall of verdant green. After walking for almost an hour through this serene landscape, we came to a lookout over the Continental Divide, the point where the Atlantic and Pacific slopes converge. Although the clouds were racing by, we managed to catch quick glimpses of the beautiful valley below.
From the viewpoint, we followed the Marshy Trail (Sendero Pantanoso) to the River Trail (Sendero El Rio). This was our favorite part of the hike because the trail ran along a steep ridge putting us at canopy level with many of the treetops, thus making it easier to see wildlife. Though it was sometimes tough to see through the thick haze, we did manage to spot a white-faced capuchin monkey, a mother and baby white-nosed coati, a gigantic snail, a small land crab, lots of interesting insects, as well as several types of birds, including wrens, warblers, and thrushes.
A white-faced monkey hiding in the thick cover
At a small waterfall on the River Trail, we took a quick break before heading back towards the ranger station to pick up the more popular trail that leads to the reserve’s famous hanging bridge. The red bridge is a quintessential part of the park and is in all of the pictures for Monteverde. We had to see it for ourselves and we’re glad we did. From high atop the swaying bridge, we had an even better view of the overflowing canopy than we did on the River Trail.
After a full morning of hiking, we were ready to explore some of the restaurants in town. The Monteverde area has an abundance of eateries to please all pallets, many using locally grown ingredients from small farms and dairies. A lot of international restaurants are popular for dinner, including Italian and fusion offerings, while cafes, bakeries, sodas (traditional Costa Rican restaurants), and even a taco spot are available for lunch. For us, the decision of where to go was easy. Earlier that morning, we had given a ride to an older gentleman who was walking to Santa Elena from the next town over. He ended up being the father of the owner of a bakery in town. His daughter’s bakery, Stella’s, did not disappoint. They had many soups, sandwiches, and other lunch offerings, but we opted to go with some of their homemade baked goods, enjoying giant cinnamon buns, empanadas, and carrot cake. Saving room for ice cream, we drove down the street to the Monteverde Cheese Factory.
The cheese factory is an icon in Monteverde and was founded by Quaker settlers in the 1950s. The Quakers not only started dairy farms but also played an important role in land conservation, helping to protect the forests surrounding their property. The factory still makes cheese to this day, as well as many other dairy products like yogurts and ice cream. Tours are available Monday – Saturday with reservations.
Fueled up with full stomachs, we started our long drive back to the lake. Driving to Monteverde as a day trip makes for a long, exhausting day. For those planning a visit, we would recommend staying for at least a couple of nights to make the drive worthwhile. Aside from hiking and eating ice cream, there are an abundance of other activities that can keep you busy. Zip-lining, horseback riding, canyoning, and four-wheeling are popular for the adventurous. If you need a break from the action, you can easily spend a full day perusing the many art galleries, shops, and exhibits. We know that next time we’re definitely making time to visit the Serpentario and the hummingbird garden.
Have you ever been to the cloud forest or seen the mysterious Resplendent Quetzal? Let us know below!
This post is part of the Sunday Traveler Series, the place to be for travel recommendations, stories, advice, and fun!
Post by: Matthew Houde and Jennifer Turnbull-Houde
