Poás Volcano National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Poás Volcano National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
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Location	Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
Area	65 square kilometres (25 sq mi)
Established	25 January 1971
Governing body	National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC)

Poás Volcano National Park, known in Spanish as Parque Nacional Volcán Poás, is a special National Park in Costa Rica. It's home to one of the world's most visited active volcanoes, Poás Volcano! This amazing park is located in the Alajuela Province.

Poás Volcano: An Active Giant

Poás Volcano is an active volcano, meaning it can erupt. Its main crater is very deep, about 950 feet (290 m)! This crater often has small geyser-like eruptions and sometimes even tiny lava bursts. The last big eruptions happened a while ago, between 1952 and 1954.

What Makes Poás Volcano Special?

Poás Volcano is famous for its unique features. It has one of the largest active craters in the world. Inside the main crater, there's a hot, acidic lake. This lake often changes color due to the minerals in the water.

Lake Botos: A Peaceful Crater Lake

Besides the active crater, Poás Volcano National Park has another beautiful crater lake called Lake Botos. This lake is in an inactive crater, meaning it's not part of the volcano's current activity. It's a peaceful, clear lake surrounded by lush green forest.

Exploring Poás Volcano National Park

The park is a wonderful place to visit, offering incredible views and a chance to see a real volcano up close. Visitors can walk on paved trails that lead to viewpoints of the main crater and Lake Botos.

Plants and Animals of the Park

Even though it's a volcanic area, the park is full of life! You can find many types of plants, including dwarf trees and unique ferns that grow in the volcanic soil. Many animals also live here, like hummingbirds, quetzals, and different kinds of mammals.

Safety and Park Closures

Because Poás is an active volcano, safety is very important. The park sometimes closes to visitors. This happens when there's too much sulphur gas in the air, which can be harmful. Park officials always monitor the volcano closely to keep everyone safe.

Why the Park Might Close

Volcanoes can be unpredictable. Sometimes, the volcano shows signs of increased activity, like more gas or small tremors. When this happens, the park closes temporarily. This allows experts to check the volcano and make sure it's safe for people to visit again. Over the past ten years, scientists have been watching the volcano closely for signs of future activity.

Images for kids

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  Lake Botos is an inactive crater also located within the Poás Volcano National Park.

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  Fumarole activity at the Poás crater.

See also

In Spanish: Parque nacional Volcán Poás para niños