Lider

This is a write up I did to help out in this National Park's initiative. This trip requires a working knowledge of Spanish, willingness to carry your backpack through trails for hours, and flexibility with food menus and accomodations. My perspective is that of someone who has back packed through parts of Central and South America, South East Asia, and Europe. I have no economic connections to the Park or the Navas family and I recently moved to the States; so I've tried to be impartial! <BR> <BR>HIKING EXCURSIONS TO EL COPE NATIONAL PARK, COCLE PROVINCE, PANAMA WITH STAYS AT "LA RICA" HAMLET <BR> <BR>DESCRIPTION: El Cope National Park is located in Cocle Province, smack on the mountains of Panama's Cordillera Central and about an hour's drive from the town of Penonome. The 140 sq. km. park includes both cloud forests in the higher altitudes and humid rainforests at lower heights on the Caribbean slope of the mountains. The main entry point is about 7 km up the mountains from the Pacific Slope town of El Cope. La Rica is a hamlet located inside the Park. The hamlet is the first settlement of any size after traversing a trail from the main entry point up the Pacific slope through the Continental Divide and down the Caribbean (Atlantic) Slope. The journey to the village on foot on a ridgetop trail takes you through outstanding cloudforest known for its rare birds and frogs, and most of the trail boasts magnificent views. With good weather you should be able to see ample portions of both the Pacific and the Caribbean coasts simultaneously from a lookout on the Continental Divide known as El Calvario (at 950 m, the highest point of the trail). Good primary rainforest is immediately accesible from La Rica, as well as spectacular swimming and sunning on the crystal clear pools and waterfalls of the Juan Julio and other rivers. The return journey is through a riverside trail next to Rio Guabal, which takes you through a few cow pastures and then pristine rainforest and cloudforest, before emerging at the Continental Divide and the road back to El Cope. <BR> <BR>HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR TREK: Since the hamlet currently receives only sporadic visitors, it is best to call the Navas family ahead at 983-9130; this phone is in a relatives' house in Barrigon (spanish only). The earlier you call, the better, but 2 days ahead should suffice. <BR> <BR>The National Park's office at El Cope has a phone: 983-9089. Try to speak to Jose Antonio Perez. You should pay the $3 per person to them (get receipts). There is a refuge at the entrance of the park where visitors are usually allowed to stay if they make arrangements with the park in advance. <BR> <BR>THE JOURNEY: While this could be done as an overnight (2-day) trip from El Cope or even Penonome, I would recommend a 3-day, 2-night journey from Penonome . Once at el Cope, ask for the INRENARE office which is in town up a tiny pine-clad hill, register, and pay the US$3 entrance fee for the park . Also, ask about conditions along the trail and current weather. It is recomended to arrive at El Cope as early as possible; there's some run down accomodation available in the town for those who would prefer to stay here overnight and start the trek at dawn, or you could stay at INRENARE's refuge about 1 hr's walk from the School at Barrigon (see above). <BR> <BR>From El Cope, you could either start walking towards Barrigon, or catch one of the hourly pick-up trucks that are the local public transport Cope-Barrigon (5 am to 7pm). You can also hitch rides along the way, especially in the morning. From El Cope, it's about a 5km walk, somewhat uphill, to the Escuela (school) de Barrigon, where the good road ends. On the side of the road away from the river, there's a used clothes store "Manolos"; the house next to it is owned by the extended Navas family, the same that will be your hosts in La Rica this is were they have the phone. Usually Noris Navas can be found here and it's a good place to see whether anyone is heading to La Rica. <BR> <BR>Beyond the school at Barrigon, you will likely have to continue uphill on foot (try to be here by 11 AM for a leisurely trek). From here it's about 4 steep km , past the park entrance, to the Continental Divide. The occasional commercial delivery truck might give you a ride to Senor Beito's store, the last one on this road, 2 km closer to the Divide. Incidenltally, this is the last place to leave your car safely overnight if you are driving (he might charge $1/day to park inside). <BR> <BR>At the Continental Divide the road turns from bad to impossible even for four-wheel drive. About 30 meters past a green-roofed house belonging to the park service (this is the 'refuge'), there's an old road which branches steeply downhill to the right; this is the "riverside" trail to La Rica. If you stay on the "main" road, you'll continue uphill for 1 km or so, right on the Divide through elfin cloudforest good for birds and golden frogs, to reach El Calvario, the highest point of the "ridgetop" trail, marked by a cross and sightseeing terrace, where with luck and good weather you can see both oceans at once. From here, the ridgetop trail continues downhill for about 8 km before reaching the Escuela de Rio Blanco. This trail goes first through cloudforests and then rainforests with ocassional cow pastures ("potreros") becoming more frequent as you reach Rio Blanco. Its a can't-miss-it, wide trail that affords fantastic views in good weather. Eventually you arrive at the Escuela de Rio Blanco; around here, start asking for the house of Ariel Navas in La Rica, a 1 km, poorly marked walk from the school. The whole La Rica area is at about 250 meters elevation.. <BR> <BR>The house is located about 300 m. away from gorgeous swimming holes and waterfalls at the Juan Julio river and is even closer to Rainforest which adjoins the park. Great for birds and plants. Despite the clearings and the ocassional trail/road, there is contiguous uninterrputed forest all the way to the Costa Rican border and beyond! A variety of tantalizing day trips is possible from La Rica (see below). I recommend staying one full day in La Rica to see more of the forest and bathing pools and have a chance to unwind with these unbelievably friendly people. <BR> <BR>The return journey on the "riverside" trail follows mostly the "Guabal" river. Closer to La Rica this trail traverses a mix of forests and clearings, and in some of the clearings it is easy to loose the trail, so it is wise to recruit someone from La Rica to guide you through this first part. Once you've crossed the Guaval river, about half way to the Continental divide, the trail resembles a cannopied, washed out road - impossible to miss and going through spectacular forests with many large trees. You arrive back at the Continental Divide right by the green-roofed Inrenare house and from here it's down hill all the way to Barrigon (where the last pick-up leaves at 6 or 7PM) and El Cope. You can leave for the return journey by noon and be at El Cope by nightfall or earlier, but a 10 AM departure would allow ample time to stop and relax along the river or to observe the wildlife - it's a beautifull journey. <BR> <BR>Especially in stormy or gusty weather, it is wise to do the trip in reverse, i.e. start going downhill on the riverside trail as it is less exposed to wind and cold; then return via the ridge-top trail. If you get lost in the riverside trail going down hill, it will be in a clearing - there's likely to be a hut somewhere to confirm the way, or wait for the next person coming by. Locals are extremely friendly but a bit shy - if you just ask, they'll happily point the way and are likely to walk you part or all of the way. <BR> <BR>ACCOMODATIONS, FOOD AND COSTS: The Navas' house in La Rica is actually a cluster of three houses. There's an open, roofed area ideal for hanging hammocks, a primitive outdoor shower, a latrine in a separate hut, a roofed open air dining area, and 3 enclosed areas with beds. They are thinking of charging US$6 per person per night for full room and board (while you're at the house - no brown bag lunches) which means plenty of local food, coffee, fruit, and sleeping in a hammock or a bed - great value!. <BR>These folks are unbelievably hospitable and at this price you might very well decide to extend your stay a few days. Catholic priests going through this thinly populated region have repeatedly stayed with this family for years - they are excellent hosts. <BR> <BR>Bear in mind that the area has not been touched by tourism at all. You must be flexible about food as you can ask for more quantity, but any specialty items (say, mashed potatoes or carrots or fish) might not be available. Also, bring your own toilet paper. <BR> <BR>EXCURSIONS: The family will show you the nearby waterfalls and a few forest trails, which would easily fill a day of memorable activity. Hiring a guide for the day is recomended - up to 4 people can share a guide, or more for easier day trips, and it costs only $9 per day (although you might have to provide/buy lunch for him and yourselves). Ariel and his brother-in-law Santiaguito are excellent, amenable guides unbelievably good at spotting and identifying birds and other wildlife. Possible day trips include a long hike to Los Chorros del Tife (Tife's waterfalls are famous throughout the region) and climbing up through intense forest to the top of Cerro Marta (1,150 meters), either would require a full day. The Navas have 4 camping tents (2 people ea.) so they are able to lead overnight camping trips or longer, but this is recommended only if you have previous experience camping in the tropics, can cook and deal with water and otherwise cater to yourself. The very adventuresome might want to continue from La Rica to Coclesito, possibly a 1-2 day trip. There's a road and public transport connecting Coclesito to Penonome on the Panamerican Highway. <BR> <BR>THE LOCALS: The Coclesan ethnic group that prevails in this area has lived in close association with the forest for generations, and their practices are generally less destructive than the intinerant slash-and-burn agriculture of other groups. You will see plots of formerly agricultural land that have been conciously allowed to regenerate into natural forest now 18 years old and more. Sapplings of timber trees are not cut but instead are allowed to grow to commercial size, resulting in many large trees near human habitation. This better husbandry with natural resources has allowed most people in this area to remain in their original locations for 20 - 30 years. Elsewhere in Panama <BR>people settling in rainforests often move on after 5 years or so due to depleted resources and soil - resulting in most of the massive deforestation seen in parts of the country. <BR> <BR>GETTING THERE AND AWAY: Buses go from Panama City to El Cope from the Cocle bus terminal , every hour from 5 AM to 5 PM; the journey takes 4 hours and costs $6. Buses also go from Penonome to El Cope, also about every hour, $1.50, takes 75 minutes. If you're coming from the West on the Panamerican Highway, ask to be dropped off at the El Cope turnoff which is midway between Nata and Penonome, and catch a bus from there. Once in El Cope a few pick-up trucks cover public transport to Barrigon on an irregular basis - the park office should have information on this. <BR> <BR>FINAL NOTES: To enjoy this trip, you need working knowledge of Spanish. The weather is unpredictable; reputedly the worst months are January and February and the best ones June and July (at La Rica - this is different at El Cope, on the other side of the mountains). There's a very basic "shop" in La Rica where locals buy the most essential of groceries - don't expect bottled water here. With a couple of days' notice, the Navas should be able to arrange an escort to take you to La Rica, they might ask for $8.50 to $10 per group, but it might be free, play it by ear. With 3 or more day' notice, the Navas family might be able to arrange a horse to carry your luggage to La Rica (up to 3-4 backpacks, about $8); this service is easier to arrange when you come back from La Rica, as there are horses at the hamlet; and the thougher journey is the uphill return leg anyway. The prices quoted here might vary some because this is a really new thing and they are sorting out those details as their project goes forward. <BR> <BR>Lider Sucre <BR>[email protected] <BR> <BR>