Parque Nacional Volcán Barú

Though only a fraction the size of its imposing neighbor, La Amistad [1], Parque Nacional Volcán Barú is still plenty impressive. Its centerpiece is the dormant volcano that gives the park its name and whose summit, at 3,475 meters, is the highest point in Panama [2]. Parque Nacional Volcán Barú was founded in 1976.

This is a good place for long hikes [3], camping [4], and bird-watching [5]. Because of the change in elevation, the park has quite a range of life zones for its size (14,000 hectares). You’ll pass through several different kinds of forests before reaching its barren and rocky summit.

In the bushes near the top you can spot the rather plain-looking volcano junco. This is its only Panamanian habitat. Other birds you might encounter at the higher elevations before the forest ends include the timberline wren, black-and-yellow silky-flycatcher, and large-footed finch.