My Costa Rica Vacations

Santa Rosa National Park Costa Rica

Santa Rosa
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National Park
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Santa Rosa
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Santa Rosa
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The Santa Rosa National Park is Costa Rica’s first national park. Founded in 1971 to preserve the historical setting of the Battle of Santa Rosa, the National Park is now also an important conservation area for savannah and deciduous forests, mangroves and many forms of animal and bird life. The park covers approximately 500 square kilometers and is adjacent to the Guanacaste National Park.

Santa Rosa National Park is important historically because of its role in the battles of 1856 and 1955, but perhaps is even more significant for the role that it plays in the conservation of several delicate ecosystems, including tropical dry forest and the nesting areas of endangered turtles.

The park is divided into two sectors, the little visited northern sector of Murcielago with its charming hidden beaches accessed only by dirt road and the southern sector of Santa Rosa, which is home to the historic battle sights and the buildings associated with that event. The ten distinct habitats that are in this area, as well as the over 100 different mammal species and 250 various bird species make this park an excellent place to observe the beauty of nature. The wealth of flora and fauna in the Santa Rosa National Park is at least partially due to the parks remoteness. Many of the roads into the park have very limited access, especially during the rainy season.

The beaches of the Santa Rosa National Park are beautifully remote and have some of the best surfing in Costa Rica. The spectacular Playa Naranjo with the landmark Witch’s Rock has world class surf-accessed by boat by the truly dedicated. Witch’s Rock is one of the oldest rock formations in Costa Rica. At over 130 million years old- these rock outcroppings date back to the Cretaceous period.

The landmark creates a near perfect beach break that allows for this ideal surfing spot.

The amazing Playa Nancite is the worlds only completely protected olive Ridley turtle mass-nesting sites. Accessible only by biologists and students or those that acquire a permit, the turtle nesting is an awe inspiring seasonal event well worth viewing.

Some of the areas of tropical dry forest in the Santa Rosa National Park have trees that are at least 500 years old. This is the largest protected area of dry forest habitat in all of Central America. The dry nature of the region makes for excellent wildlife and bird watching, as the animals tend to congregate at the limited water sources, making them easier to see. The park is also home to many different kinds of bats- over twenty different types have been identified. The Santa Rosa National Park was originally founded as a way of conserving a site with historical significance for the Costa Rican people. Along the way it became so much more- providing a protected area to explore and appreciate the unique beauty and diversity of this area. Without the protection provided by the historical significance, many species of plant and wildlife would now be extinct.