Santa Fe National Park (Parque Nacional Santa Fe) is a large protected area of more than 700,000 hectares of highland forest in Central Panama. The park is undeveloped with no visitor center, campgrounds, or other visitor infrastructure. It preserves pristine wilderness and is an ideal park for hikers, birdwatchers, and other nature lovers. Several rivers and small streams cascade down the park's mountainous slopes and the park is famous for its scenic remote waterfalls.

Understand

Orchid in Santa Fe National Park

The park was established as part of the Panama national parks system in 2001 to protect the biodiversity of a large, pristine area of highland rainforest and dry tropical forest. The park counts more than 300 bird species within its boundaries as well as several hundred endemic plants, including a number of species of orchid. The park is mostly remote wilderness with no access by road. Most visitors access the park from various points around its perimeter and hike into the park (though horseback is also an option).

Hector Gallegos National Park

In 2019, the government declared an adjacent tract of land to be the Hector Gallegos National Park, extending the protected natural area all the way to the Caribbean. No developed park infrastructure exists and there are no official access points though the new highway 33 runs along the park border en route to the town of Calovebora.

Get in

Access road near Santa Fe

The park has historically been difficult to reach with no modern roads and no park infrastructure, however, the government built a new highway 33 (locally known as the Caribbean Highway) that crosses through the park. A good access point may be the town of Santa Fe (Panama). Minibuses or combis to Santa Fe leave from the town of Santiago de Veraguas. Rough dirt roads lead into the park from some bordering villages. These are not recommended for anyone without a 4WD trucks and local guides.

Fees and permits

A ranger station on the new road collects park entry fees that vary depending on citizenship and age. Panamanian citizens pay the lowest fees (US$1) while foreign adults pay the most (US$5).

Get around

Hiking is the only option. It is an enormous park requiring many hours to reach. Trails are unimproved, unmaintained, and generally unmarked so you'll want to do some research or hire a local guide to show you the way.

See

• more than 50 waterfalls. Bermejo Falls is one of the largest with a height of 35 meters.

Do

• hike. Popular destinations include Alto de Piedra, Golondrinas Falls, and Bermejo Falls. Named (but unimproved) hiking trails include: Cerro Mariposa, Camino Historico de Chilagre, Loop at Ranger Station, Cascada Loma Grande, Cascada La Isleta, and Cascada Bermejo.

Eat

No stores or restaurants are in or near the park. Bring anything you plan to eat (and remember to pack out any trash).

Sleep

Backcountry

Backcountry camping is allowed. Practice Leave-no-trace camping.

Go next

• Caribbean West
• Bocas del Toro