The town of El Rosario is a collection of turn-of-the-20th-century mining buildings clinging to the precipitous hillside, some in ruins and others in good condition. The old cemetery is an interesting place, filled with the tombstones (all written in English) of the international vagabonds who worked in the mines in the 19th and 20th century.

The old mine hospital houses the visitors center (where you can pay your entrance fee, get a trail map, and look at the displays on local wildlife and geography) and the eco-albergue, with eight clean rooms, some with private bathrooms. A cafeteria can be opened when requested by guests (US$3.15 breakfast and dinner, US$3.70 lunch), or you can bring your own food. As groups sometimes fill the place up, it would be wise to call ahead to Amitigra if you want to be sure of having a room.

Far more appealing accommodations can be found at Mirador El Rosario (tel. 504/767-2141 or 504/9987-5835), run by a German couple, Monika and Jörg. They have built a simple wood cabin onto the steep hillside, which has two rooms that rent for US$26 each (s/d). The views from the cabin porch and the dining room (inside Monika and Jörg’s home) are spectacular. Meals are not included and all food is vegetarian—dinner (US$5–6) at the candlelit table is especially romantic. There is a very clean outhouse with shower next to the cabin, and the owners can pick visitors up from San Juancito for a US$12 charge. Homemade jams and fruit wine are also available for purchase.

If the Mirador is booked, the Chalet-Cabañas La Montaña (tel. 504/235-5084) up the road by the school is an intermediate option. There are a couple of pulperías in town for stocking up on basic supplies.

To get into Parque Nacional La Tigra from the east side, drive, hitch, or take a bus out to San Juancito from Valle de Ángeles, 10 kilometers on a newly paved road. Buses to Cantarranas (San Juan de Flores) from Valle de Ángeles will drop you off at the desvio to San Juancito, from which you can walk 15 minutes into town. The steep canyon in which San Juancito sits became a raging river during Hurricane Mitch, sweeping away a great many buildings in the center of town, as well as a huge ceiba tree that was a town landmark. There is not much happening in town almost all year, with the exception of an excellent music festival at the end of April, typically the last weekend.

From San Juancito, a dirt road continues up the hill to El Rosario, the former mining complex. It’s only a couple of kilometers up to the mines, but because of the steep grade, it’s a stiff 1.5-hour walk, especially with a pack, so hope one of the workers passes by in a truck to give you a lift. You may also be able to convince someone in town to take you up in a pickup for about US$10. By car, the road may be impossible in the rainy season without four-wheel-drive.