We were surprised how hard the hike was and are relatively fit people. This forced us to maneuver with our hands and cling onto roots and trees when necessary. Just asked the front desk to hike Cerro Chato and then paid $15/person. I went back through our photos from the hike and we have a picture of a sign at the top where the crater lake is that says “La Fortuna Waterfall – 4 hours.” If you access the crater from Green Lagoon Lodge on the other side, the waterfall is closer, though. But we attempted to hike Cerro Chato at the beginning of the trip prior to checking into Green Lagoon so went from Arenal Volcana Park entrance (not via the Observatory Lounge but a different ranger just to the left of entrance to Observatory Lounge). I did this hike exactly one month ago, and it was so much fun! I’m so glad I finished the hike though because I was so tempted to turn around. This would be a terrible hike to get hurt on due to the limited accessibility. Wooden benches offer seats in the shade under the rainforest canopy looking out 1,600 feet across the dormant volcano's main crater. Plan for 2-4 hours for a round-trip journey to the summit. Hi Carolyn, We haven’t heard anything recently about conditions using the trail on the Observatory’s property. Then walk to a local indigenous village followed by a traditional lunch. Chato Volcano (called ‘Cerro Chato’ in Spanish), is an inactive volcano that sits in the southeast side of Costa Rica’s most popular and active volcano, Arenal. Not really difficult but quite muddy walk. The emerald lagoon gives you enough motivation though. It was most definitely the absolute highlight of my trip to Costa Rica. We needed to pass three barbed wire fences, one at the top and two at the bottom, which wasn’t too much of a problem. They now have a guard posted at their property line turning people back. We met a few people but it’s not crowded. My hotel is on that side and just a short cab ride. There was a trail head that said the Laguna lake was 1540 meters away… this was bef we ever headed into the trail. Just tell them you want to hike the observatory trail. | Privacy Policy. My friend and I went on March 2017 before we read this. Left at 8 am, ran into about 12 other hikers. We went in through the observatory and they told us the trail was closed but said that we could still do it at our own risk. Obviously everyone ignores that and walks around them. You definitely need good hicking boots as it is quite slippery even when it’s not raining. We have to go to back and get to the top next time we visit. Hi Matt and Jenn. Our team visits these countries often to be sure that we bring you the most current and updated information on accommodations, activities, restaurants and more. I would appreciate any info you or others might provide. It was very muddy and lots of climbing and scrambling up. Hi Joe, Based on what Mike said on November 8, 2017, above, the trail from the Green Lagoon Lodge near the waterfall is officially closed but people are still using it. Thank you! Concepcion Volcano, Ometepe Island, Nicaragua First, you should know that all the signs are down, so we needed to figure out where the trailhead was. It seems like there will be no more access through Arenal Observatory Lodge. La Fortuna: What to Expect from Costa Rica’s Most Popular Destination, Oropendola Waterfall: An Easy-to-Access Waterfall in Guanacaste, Palo Verde National Park: A Wildlife Tour Through Guanacaste’s Wetlands, Playa Avellanas: Sun, Surf, and Fun in Guanacaste, Playa Dantita: A Serene White Sand Beach in Guanacaste, https://whereintheworldiswelter.wordpress.com/2018/12/10/day-3-cerro-chato-hanging-bridges-and-monteverde/. 5 hours is fine. We didn’t realize that this was not a part of the observatory. Sorry, but I am just trying to clarify. Worth the effort, though. The latter has been inactive for nearly 3,500 years and has a collapsed crater that contains a picture-perfect lagoon. But its doable. The first 0.75 miles is an easy but a semi-steep hot/sunny road to the observatory. Not sure if the trail stays closed, if they will continue maintaining it. You will love the hike down to this waterfall near the town of La Fortuna because you can see all of the natural beauty of the rainforest as well as the birds and wildlife that live there. However , sounds like things could be a bit risky given that it does not appear this trail is maintained anymore. What’s the most challenging hike you’ve ever done? Thanks for the reply 🙂. This left us a bit confused but he explained that half the hike is on the Green Lagoon Property and the other half is on “state land”. CERRO CHATO ECOLODGE 3-star3 stars 2 km Southwest of la Fortuna, on the way to Catarata Rio Fortuna, La Fortuna, Alajuela, 70205, Costa Rica, 800-246-8357 3-star hotel with outdoor pool, near Arenal Volcano National Park I hiked Cerro Chato from the Green Lagoon Resort side yesterday. Further into the forest, El Ceibo trail is an extended loop trail that starts at and … You go into reception and pay $10, get a wristband for the park and sign yourself into the book. Experience the natural beauty of La Fortuna as you navigate the trails and passes that wind through its stunning landscapes. In the past few months, however, the Observatory closed access and now has a guard stationed there, turning people away. I did it last week. Do you know if it is possible to get with public transport from la fortuna to the observatory? We were not true hikers prior to this hike. We hike a lot but don’t want to do the 7 hour route. . We hung out at the lake for quite awhile. I would not recommend using the Arenal Observatory Lodge trails for this reason. Its a series of roots, mounds, trees and slippery slopes, VERY steep and even harder than the last half hour to the top. We paid at the reception and they gave us wrist bands and they pointed us in the right direction (which is definitely a rip off ). Across the world lies hundreds of active, dormant and extinct volcanoes – and there are many you can hike up, or peer down into their fiery crater. The staff of Arenal Observatory Lodge will not give you any information about the trail. My wife and I are somewhat experienced hikers, but not experts. Mt. My son and I hiked Cerro Chato on August 9th. Is the trail closed because of the recent harsh rainy season? Hi, so there is no way at all for a hike to Cerro Chato left? your blog has been really helpful. Good feedback on the Chato Trail. This is all subject to change as the government could reopen access again. Thanks in advance. 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