Miravalles Volcano in Costa Rica
Overview of the Miravalles Volcano
Miravalles volcano is located 15 km north of the town of bagaces in Guanacaste. This volcano is the tallest mountain in the Guanacaste mountain range at 2,028 mts above sea level. Near the Miravalles Volcano summit, there are some secondary craters. These craters are La Giganta (1,490 mts), Espiritú Santo (979 mts) and Gota Fria (1,082 mts). The Miravalles Volcano was made by several explosive eruptions that repeatedly destroy the volcano´s structure. After each time the volcano´s structure was destroyed, the lava that came out of the volcano hardened and began to rebuild the mountain. This process happened in a time span of over a million years. The last recorded eruption was in 1946. It was a minor phreatic eruption.
Even though the Miravalles volcano crater is inactive there is secondary activity present in the volcano such as hot mud pools, fumaroles and hot springs on its southwest and west sides. The weather near the volcano is tropical with a rainy season that lasts from May to November. The average temperature is around 15o C (59o F) and 32o C (90o F) at the base of the volcano and 6o C (42o F) to 9o C (48o F) at the summit. The annual rainfall in this area is over 3,500 mm (140 inches).
The region surrounding the Miravalles Volcano has beautiful landscapes. This area is enclosed by rain forests and a lot of ecosystems. There are a variety of trees in the area such as Madero Negro, the impressive Guanacaste tree, Guacimo, Ojoche, Jicaros, Mahogany, and Ceiba. It´s possible to find also plants such as bromeliads, heliconias, and orchids. Some of the animals that inhabit these lands are monkeys, anteaters, coyotes, white-tailed deer, Dantas and birds such as campana, Tucanes and other species.
Miravalles Geothermal Project
Due to the high hydrothermal activity, the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) established the Miravalles Geothermal Project. It is possible to generate electricity using the vapor that comes out of the volcano. This vapor is used to move giant turbines that generate electricity. It is estimated that 18% of the electricity produced in the geothermal plants in this area stays in the country. The rest is exported to Nicaragua and Panamá. There are 4 geothermal power plants located in this area; Miravalles I, Miravalles II, Miravalles III and Miravalles V. The Miravalles III alone generates 14% of the geothermal energy of the country. This percentage is equivalent to the electricity used by 60.000 houses.
Also, there is an important eolic and solar potential in this area that is harnessed by ICE as well as private companies for the production of clean energy. The area surrounding the Miravalles Volcano is the birthplace of a lot of rivers such as Guacalillo, Zapote, Tenorio, Giganta and Raudales. These rivers are used to supply drinking water to generate hydroelectric power and on the lowest parts are used for agricultural irrigation.
Tourism Near Miravalles Volcano
The park that encloses the volcano (Zona Protectora Volcan Miravalles) has touristic importance. There are mud pools and hot springs in this area that attracts the visitors to this park. There are several tours to visit the Miravalles Volcano. Most of these tours are offered in the hotels in Guanacaste. These tours include the visit to the hot springs, horseback riding, and a delicious lunch. It is recommended to the people that visit the park to carry sunscreen, bathing suit, towel, comfortable shoes, bug spray, extra set of clothes, jacket, binoculars, and camera. Although visitors are allowed in the park, there is no ranger station, although there is an area with several restaurants. The hot springs and mud pools are definitely something everyone should enjoy at least once in their lifetime. This beautiful site has its arms wide open to everyone that wants to enter this charming natural place.
