Hit The Arenal 1968 Trail: Walk The Historic Lava Fields In Costa Rica

Want to observe the furious side of nature from a close quarter? Hike along the spectacular 1968 Trail! This article provides necessary information about the trip.

arenalhills.com / Via arenalhills.com

The 1968 Trail is a must-try hiking route in Costa Rica's Arenal area for those adventure-seekers who want to observe the furious side of nature from a close quarter. This amazing place offers you a firsthand account of the mighty Arenal Volcano’s fierce history. The forested trail brings you to the foothill of the legendary Arenal volcano that stands majestically with its ashy gray peak shrouded in cloud. The historic lava fields whisk you back to the fateful day when the mountain ripped its head off, spewing fire and gobbling up a large stretch of the nearby jungle. You can access the trail from any nearby city, the nearest being La Fortuna. If you are the owner of one of the Arenal area vacation villas or plan to buy one, visiting the trails should be on your bucket list. There are two ways to hit the trail. Following are the necessary information about them:

The Bosque 1968 Trail

Also known as the Forest Trail, this 3-mile long hiking route makes its way through fields for some time, before merging into the thick forest. At the end of the wood, the path goes upward until you rich the vast lava fields and finally the viewpoint. Along the way, you will get to see Lago Los Patos or Duck Lake. This 72-feet deep water body was formed at the time of the eruption. With steep terrains and a lot of roots and rocks, the hiking involves moderate to high difficulty levels. On your way, you will come face to face with different species of birds and other wildlife in their natural habitats around the small lake.

The Colada 1968 Trail

Shorter and less strenuous of the two, this 2.4-mile long trail gives you the best views of the 1968 flows and the volcano also takes you to the viewpoint and lava fields. Hence the name Colada which means ‘wash’ or ‘flow’ in Costa Rican language.

It should be noted that both the trails stop at the base of Arenal Volcano. Because safety comes first, no one is allowed to cross this limit. The volcano is still considered active and still emits gases and hot steam near the summit.

What to Expect

The big draw of this hike is a spectacular view of Arenal Volcano. The hardened rock gives you a visual recap of the fateful day when the molten rock gushed out of the earth’s womb and came running down the slope of the hills, and then got cooled and hardened, destroying acres of fertile lands in the process. Those apparently innocent-looking rocks that line the lava field will make you shudder when you come to know that these very boulders were shot through the air from the volcano’s mouth at 1,200 miles per hour speed during the eruption. One such shooting rock left its mark in the form of a giant crater which you can spot on the trail. As you advance through the rain forest, the colorful flora and fauna around you will keep you mesmerized.

During your walk, expect to encounter a lot of critters that include the Magpie Jay, Tropical King Bird, Montezuma Oropendola, Thick-billed Seed Finch, and Anhinga near the lake. Besides, be prepared to be accompanied by a kaleidoscope of fluttering butterflies, giant blue bumble bees, buzzing beetles, and crazy leaf-cutter ants to accompany throughout the hike.

As you reach the volcano viewing area, a stunning sight of Lake Arenal will leave you spellbound. At its bottom, this manmade lake still hides the roads and buildings of the cities that were drowned to create this massive dam.

Can’t wait to hit the historic Arenal 1968 trail? Start researching for necessary details. Stay in one of the Arenal area vacation villas as you will have to spend at least a couple of days in a nearby city to access and arrange for the hike.