Hiking in Selva Negra is a lot more than walking in the woods. You hike into virgin cloud rain forest where you experience nature at its purest, the sights and sounds of the forest will amaze you as they have done many of those who have already had a chance to visit us. Don't forget to check out the trail map.
Selva Negra offers you a wide variety of hiking trails to experience. From the slow pace of a walk around the lake, where you can watch the geese go about their daily life, and listen to the hummingbirds as they busily buzz around you to get the nectar of their favorite flowers.
To the strenuous and time consuming venture into virgin cloud rain forest. Here you will see plants that are found in very few other parts of the world, you could also be surrounded by the all-powerful howl of the resident howling monkeys. This is an experience worth the muddy boots, and the soar legs. You will go through parts of the trail that will require the aid of roots and trunks to get you moving and continue on your 45-degree climb to the ridge.
Each of the Selva Negra trails has a little something special that makes it a worth it trip, and its name that has been derived for very special reasons. You may have the urge to experience each and every single one of them. All you need is time, a good pair of shoes, and a desire to experience nature at its finest.
Please refer to our nature reserve's "rainforest and trail" section of the website where you will discover some helpful information for your next hike
Lets talk about the trails in three categories; the strenuous and most challenging, the middle of the road trail to enjoy an afternoon in nature, and the enjoyable and non-challenging walk. The trails are not circle trails, in order to come back to your starting point; you will need to take different trails. For example; piecing together the Atajo, Romantico, Las Pilas, and Cody trail you will start and end in the same spot. We have labeled three loops red - difficult, blue - medium and yellow - easy. The trails all vary in difficulty please refer to the trail statistics for more information of each trail.
Strenous and Challenging!
Fountain of Youth You will definitely feel like you have reclaimed a piece of your youth if you make it up and back down this trail. You venture on a straight-line one-way trail up to the mountain, not much slack given in this trail. You must be prepared to get your chins a good workout!
Peter and Helen Like the fountain of youth this is a one-way trail straight up the mountainside. This trail got its name from a British couple that one afternoon overheard Eddy and Mausi discussing the new trail they had just made into the mountain. Eddy and Mausi were talking about the beautiful flora and fauna that they had discovered, and what an unforgettable experience they had had. Peter and Helen, invigorated after overhearing the stories of this trail, felt they had to experience it for themselves. Now here I must explain that the trail can take easily 3 to 4 hours from start to finish, and that at the sun normally sets at about 6:00. In the rainforest it gets dark significantly earlier due to the thick cover of the canopy of the trees. So, late one afternoon, they set off for their hike. Not equipped with any preparations, (no flashlight), nighttime set in and they were left in the dark. One of the staff noticed them entering the hiking trails, unaware of their intentions to go on this specific trail, they weren't stopped, but the staff did notice by late evening that they had not returned. So, a group set off to the mountain to locate the lost guests. They were found, and safely guided back to the lodge. In their honor, the yet unnamed trail took their name. When the Eddy and Mausi decided to name the trail after them, Peter and Helen had already departed the hotel, and they are unaware that the trail bears their name!
The Mosquito Ridge Trail A historically named trail, the Mosquito Ridge Trail connects the Fountain of Youth and the Peter and Helen trails on the ridge of the mountain, and also the limits of Selva Negra property.
Average Difficulty
Now lets move on to the slightly less strenuous trails. Just because these are less strenuous than the ones mentioned above, they are not trails that everyone can handle. Don't forget this is the rain forest, and the trails are VERY natural. There are no handles or trail assistance of any sort. But the path is straighter, and there aren't any (well maybe one spot) where you are forced to hike on a 45-degree handle.
Indiana Jones / Romantico This trail has evolved to carry two names. Indiana Jones for its adventurous nature and the large boulder you will encounter halfway. Since this trail has the tendency to become quite slippery, it gained the named Romantic because you may need "someone to lean on" and lend you a hand.
Las Pilas (the water tank) This trail picks up from the Indiana Jones/Romantic trail, and takes you to the water tanks by the lake. In the junction of Indiana Jones and Las Pilas is one spot where you may encounter a slight incline, but if necessary, you could sit and ride it down!
Atajo (shortcut) This trail start at the trailhead, and it is an alternative to the Bavaria trail, it takes a slight shortcut to meet with the Indiana Jones / Romantic trail. It is a great beginning, and a good introduction to the "less strenuous" trails.
Bavaria The Bavaria trail, named after the German region, was the first trail established in Selva Negra. It is a very broad trail, not difficult, and the easiest one to walk side by side with your partner.
Easy
The easiest of the trails can be enjoyed in as little as 5-15 minutes, or you may decide to sit, and enjoy the views and sounds all day long. Let's talk about the relaxing, easygoing trails.
Las Playitas (the beach) This trail takes you right along the lake. There are various spots, where the roots of a tree look like the best spot where to sit, and enjoy. A very manageable trail for most, it is a good way to digest after a wonderful meal at the restaurant.
Cody The Cody trail also starts at the trailhead, it is a very nice, relatively short trail that leads to join Las Playitas. Cody trail is co sponsored with MARENA the national environmental agency and it is the most educational of the hikes with sign describing many of the fascinating facts of the forest.
Horse Trails
The following trails do not take you into the rain forest, instead they route around the estate grounds. Each of the trails is named for their destination. Horseback riding might be the best way to experience the following three trails. They are relatively easy trails, aside from their length. It could take a good part of your day to walk down and back to the restaurant.
Hortaliza (The vegetables) This trails goes along the estate's private road system and leads to the vegetable patch, the entire road is lined with coffee plantation. During the harvest months (November to February) you might pass by the people picking coffee. It is quite an interesting and unique experience to see how fast they work.
El Corral (The stables) This trail leads to the estate's stables. Here you can have a wonderful time, not to mention learn a lot about Selva Negra's ecological systems.