You are planning a trip to Panama and would like to visit a mid or highland National Park that is close to Panama City. Well, you could travel about one hour west and experience Altos de Campaña National Park.
Natural History
Parque Nacional Altos de Campaña, established in 1966, was the first land designated as a National Park in the Republic of Panama. The park is primarily secondary forest ranging between 400 m and 850 m (Cerro Campaña) in elevation. There is just one main trail, Sendero La Cruz, leading through the center. Smaller trails leave the main trail and take you deeper into the forest. Before amphibian declines the park was a good place to see many species of frogs. It remains a popular site to see Orange-bellied Trogons and other birds found in central Panama.
Getting There
The road leading to the park is located 6 km west of the town of Capira off from the Interamericana Highway. Look for the sign as you are driving the curves - it will be a road shooting off to the right when traveling west. A large green and yellow sign advertises the park, Parque Nacional Altos de Campaña. Any vehicle can drive the road to the entrance, but 4 wheel drive with high clearance is essential to enter the park road.
You can take a bus from Capira (Capira - Chicá written on the windshield) and get off at the ranger station to then walk to the entrance and trails. Buses leave sporadically, but about every hour, in each direction until about 4 pm. A taxi from Capira would cost about $20 each way.
Registration
Travel the road up into the coolness of the mountains for 4 km and watch for the ANAM (Panamanian Environmental Authority) office on the left-hand side of the road. Stop at the office to register. Entrance fees are currently $3.00 per day for Panamanian visitors and $5.00 for international visitors. Prices are subject to change. Rangers speak only Spanish. Upon my last visit they did not have a printed map of the trails.
Finding the Park
The park entrance is 5 km further up the road. Watch for sign that says "senderos" near the antenna on the right. Drive the road to as close to the antenna as possible, but be warned that the road is in horrible condition and that four-wheel drive and high clearance is a necessity. During the rainy season it will be very muddy and you could get stuck.
Lodging
There is no available lodging in Altos de Campaña National Park. The ranger station has a simple cabin where guests are sometimes permitted to stay. Bring your own bedding and food. Just past the ranger station and near the entrance to the park is a unique hotel that offers nice rooms, some with private baths and others with a shared bathroom at the end of the hall (bring your own towel). The grounds are nicely kept and there is a kitchen where guests can prepare their own meals, Inquire and a local person will cook meals for you for $3-$4 each. These meals are tasty and in good portions. The hotel offers a unique atmosphere and is reasonably priced ($10-$20 a night per person depending on season and day of the week).
Altos de Campaña allows visitors access to a highland National Park without having to travel great distances from Panama City. Come to Altos de Campaña and experience the forest!
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