Mirador del Golfo Trail

The Mirador del Golfo Trail is one of the trails that begins from the Cerro Escondido Lodge and traces a ridge, gaining 450 feet over about a mile to reach a panoramic lookout point high in the primary forest of the Karen Mogensen Nature Reserve.

Translating to "Gulf Lookout," the trail leaves the lodge area and climbs a steady stepped trail up to an outdoor school structure used today by the children and classes who visit the nature reserve. In the rafters and closet of the school structure, vampire bats have made their home.

From here the trail continues climbing, entering the old forest where the flora immediately becomes much more thick and shady. The trail remains enveloped in the trees almost until the point where it emerges onto a peak. At a few points, views begin to open up over the rolling mountainous peaks surrounding the nature reserve. At the top, a panoramic vista opens over the Gulf of Nicoya and a few of the islands down below. On a clear day Monteverde dominates the distant view to the east and the peninsular town of Puntarenas is visible across the water. A makeshift wooden bench sits at the top at an elevation of about 1,405 feet. If you are fortunate to have a guide, you will be able to appreciate the different trees, plants and birds that are difficult to see high in the trees. It is possible to fork onto a different trail on the return hike, creating a loop that brings you back to the lodge area over a similar distance. In all, the round-trip hike is about 1.9 miles in distance with just under 500 feet of elevation gain.

There are no amenities after leaving the lodge.