Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, Active volcano in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica.

Rincón de la Vieja is a stratovolcano in Guanacaste Province that rises to 1916 meters (6286 feet) and features several craters. Around the summit stretches a protected area with dry forests in the lower zones and cloud forests at higher elevations.

Indigenous groups gave the mountain its name after a legend about a princess who withdrew near the crater following a family tragedy. Scientists have documented regular eruptions and fumaroles since the 19th century, marking the mountain as active.

Many families in the area run small lodges with hot springs fed directly by volcanic thermal water from the ground. Hikers often meet riders on narrow paths heading to the crater rim, people who have known these trails for generations.

The trails through the park are well marked, with some routes passing through dense forest and others offering more open sections with views of steam vents. Starting early in the morning usually brings quieter conditions and better chances to spot wildlife.

The active crater holds a hot, highly acidic lagoon whose colour, volume and temperature shift over time; it has been the focus of the main eruptions of the last 3,500 years. Since 22 September 2011, access to the crater rim has been closed after an eruption threw ash and mud more than 36 metres above the lagoon.