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A clearing among pines in Montecristo National Park

National parks

Montecristo National Park, El Salvador

Montecristo was the first official protected area of El Salvador. It covers about 1,973 ha of cloud forest above Metapán, in the north of Santa Ana, rising above 2,400 m, and is part of the Trifinio Fraternidad biosphere reserve shared with Guatemala and Honduras. Access is by 4x4 only, with a permit from the Ministry of Environment.

Updated November 2026 · Figures checked 9 November 2026

Photo: ElmerGuevara, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Approximate area
1,973 ha1
Approximate area
Vertebrate species, 43% of those recorded in the country
3431
Vertebrate species, 43% of those recorded in the country
Usual temperature range
6–18 °C2
Usual temperature range

Montecristo National Park, El Salvador

At a glance

At a glance
Montecristo
Where About 5 km north-east of Metapán, Santa Ana
Forest Cloud forest with pines, cypresses and oaks
Biosphere reserve Trifinio Fraternidad, shared with Guatemala and Honduras
Access 4x4 vehicles only; permit from the Ministry of Environment
Best season November to April

Source: El Diario de Hoy: the six main protected areas of El Salvador, 2025; El Salvador Travel (Ministry of Tourism): Montecristo National Park; UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Trifinio Fraternidad transboundary biosphere reserve; El Salvador.com: visiting Montecristo, costs and what to do, 20261,2,3,4

Map

Montecristo National Park 1 Montecristo National Park 2 Santa Ana volcano 3 Lake Coatepeque 4 Lake Suchitlán 5 El Imposible National Park
Volcano or national park Lake Places are approximate, from Wikidata and OpenStreetMap. Boundaries: geoBoundaries SLV ADM1 (OpenStreetMap contributors, CC BY-SA 2.0)1
  1. 1 Montecristo National Park Cloud forest, about 1,973 ha
  2. 2 Santa Ana volcano 2,381 m; last eruption 2005
  3. 3 Lake Coatepeque Caldera lake, 25.3 km²
  4. 4 Lake Suchitlán Reservoir of the Cerrón Grande dam
  5. 5 El Imposible National Park About 4,977 ha of forest

The park

  • Wildlife: 343 species of vertebrates have been recorded, 43% of the total for the country, including threatened species.
  • The Trifinio point: a trail leads to the point where El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet. The Ministry of Environment closes this trail from May to October to protect wildlife during the breeding season; the rest of the park stays open.

Source: El Diario de Hoy: the six main protected areas of El Salvador, 2025; El Salvador.com: Punto Trifinio in Montecristo closed until October, 20261,5

Visiting

  • Permit and vehicle: request entry with the Ministry of Environment form and the list of visitors; the road to the upper park needs a 4x4, and it gets harder in the rainy season from May to October.

Source: El Salvador.com: visiting Montecristo, costs and what to do, 20264

Hours, fees and access rules change, and areas can close for maintenance, weather or volcanic activity. Check with the park or the Ministry before you travel.

Sources

  1. El Diario de Hoy: the six main protected areas of El Salvador, 2025 (in Spanish)
  2. El Salvador Travel (Ministry of Tourism): Montecristo National Park (in Spanish)
  3. UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Trifinio Fraternidad transboundary biosphere reserve
  4. El Salvador.com: visiting Montecristo, costs and what to do, 2026 (in Spanish)
  5. El Salvador.com: Punto Trifinio in Montecristo closed until October, 2026 (in Spanish)

Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. Figures come from the sources listed.

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