Established in 1985, Penas Blancas Wildlife Refuge was created to protect the tropical evergreen forest of the southern flanks of the Tilaran Mountain Range. The refuge also protects the watershed area of the Ciruelas and Barranca rivers and wildlife that lives there. It is located entirely within the Montes de Oro Protected Zone.
There is not a lot of wildlife in Penas Blancas Wildlife refuge, but one can see a great number of butterflies and birds. Monkeys, raccoons, deer, and pacas are all commonly sighted as well. Wiythin the 5928 acres of the refuge, there are a great number of plants and trees including Spanish and spiny cedar, gumbo limbo and mayflower.
Located within the Guanacaste Province, Penas Blancas Wildlife Refuge has no public facilities.
Central Pacific temperatures remain the same nearly year round with average day time highs in the upper 80s to low 90s and night time lows in the upper 70s. Precipitation varies by month with the months of December through April being the driest.
Visitors should pack a bathing suit, towel, shorts, tee shirts, appropriate shoes, rain gear, sun block, and insect repellent. Check out our Costa Rica packing list page for more ideas.
Fun Fact: One will notice many mud and rock slides within Penas Blancas Wildlife Refuge due to frequent and heavy rainfall.
| Monteverde | 60 km |
| Puntarenas | 25 km |
| Alajuela | 89 km |
| Jaco | 77 km |
| Manuel Antonio | 146 km |
Latitude: N 10° 5' 33.97"
Longitude: W 84° 43' 47"
There is not a lot of wildlife in Penas Blancas Wildlife refuge, but one can see a great number of butterflies and birds. Monkeys, raccoons, deer, and pacas are all commonly sighted as well. Wiythin the 5928 acres of the refuge, there are a great number of plants and trees including Spanish and spiny cedar, gumbo limbo and mayflower.
Located within the Guanacaste Province, Penas Blancas Wildlife Refuge has no public facilities.
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