If you go on a weekday, outside June-August, you will likely have the entire park to yourself. Should you happen to arrive on a weekend in July, there may be a handful of others in the park with you. However, we're talking about a park the size of Yosemite! The average visitation is less than 1,000 per year. Amazing!

The park showcases the mighty Orosi River Gorge, a vast canyon draped in rainforest and filled with wildlife. Your chances of seeing a monkey or a sloth are about as good here as in any other spot of rainforest in the country. You will see and hear lots of birds and butterflies.

Swimming is great at a large swimming hole called Oropendula. Just past the park entrance is the trail marked "Sendero Oropendula." Hike this trail approximately 10 easy minutes to the river. Turn right and follow the trail along the riverbank until it deadends at the swimming hole which is flanked by diving rocks. The river is cold and deep here, and the current is strong, so if you choose to climb up the dangerous boulders and dive in, do so at your own risk!

You can follow the excellent dirt park road about 15 miles past the park entrance to the foot of a lovely waterfall.

But if you want to get up close and personal with wild untamed falls, you should hike deep into the Orosi River gorge to Palmitos Falls. The hike is described in the section entitled "The Trek."

Entrance to the park is a nominal sum of a few dollars, and no camping is allowed.

The park is so obscure that many San Jose cabbies do not know about it. There is public transportation from San Jose only as far as Orosi, and it is another 6 miles to the park entrance, so do yourself a favor and hire a cabbie to take you and wait for you. Instructions are in the "Getting Around" heading under the Basics section of this journal.

Take careful note of the point where the trail spits you out on the riverbank so you do not miss it on your way out!

From this point, you are on your own. There is no trail leading upstream. You must hack your way through the jungle, sometimes swimming or wading in the river. The canyon walls will begin to close in, and eventually you will come to an area of waterfalls where side streams pour straight over cliffs into the river. You'll pass at least six of the smaller falls before you reach a very large waterfall on your left called Palmitos Falls. It is about 50 feet high, and the swimming hole is just magical, shrouded in misty jungle with waterfalls crashing all around you.

There are large flat rocks here for a nice picnic and a nap. You can only continue upstream a few minutes farther to another waterfall before the large boulders close in.

This trek is enchanting but difficult. It will take you at least four hours to reach Palmitos Falls and hike back to park headquarters, though most strong hikers will need at least six. A sturdy hiking stick is nice while crossing and trekking in the river. If you do not have trekking poles, you can usually find some sturdy sticks along the riverbank.

The Orosi River, though shallow in many places, is very powerful. Be cautious and alert while hiking in the river.

This trek will take you into country that will remind you of Jurassic Park. You will be utterly alone, with no one around for miles. You'll feel buried alive in wild, untamed rainforest filled with parrots and monkeys and sloths and colorful butterflies the size of your hand. It is a trek you'll never forget in a small country that is soon to be overrun with tourists. Go now!