Booking choice: The lava trails and hot springs day, from $205 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Arenal is classed as an active volcano, but it has been in a resting phase since 2010, with very little activity. Old photos of red lava streaks are from the years before that.
What remains is a striking, near-perfect cone, lava fields turning back into forest, and a national park with trails around the base.
The quick answer
Arenal is an active volcano in a resting phase since 2010, so there is no visible lava or glow. You cannot climb to the crater: the summit area is closed. You can walk trails on the old lava flows in Arenal Volcano National Park and see the cone from the hot springs, clouds permitting.
Is Arenal Volcano still erupting?
No. Arenal has been in a resting phase since 2010, so there are no eruptions or lava flows to see.
Resting phases are natural for active volcanoes, and Arenal is monitored. For visitors it simply means the attraction today is the shape of the cone and the forest around it, not lava.
The cone is still the star. Check dates for the scenic Arenal day with hot springs.
Check dates for the Arenal Volcano ExperienceWhat happened in the 1968 eruption?
On 29 July 1968, a mountain everyone thought was dormant exploded without warning, and eruptions continued for days.
The blasts buried more than 15 square kilometres and destroyed the villages of Tabacón, Pueblo Nuevo and San Luis. Arenal then erupted almost continuously until 2010, and its lava displays helped turn La Fortuna into a tourist town.
Can you hike to the top of Arenal?
No. Climbing to the crater is prohibited and dangerous; visitors must stay outside a perimeter that averages about 4 km from the summit.
The slopes are unstable and prone to rockfall. Tours advertised as summit climbs are illegal. The trails you can walk are around the base.
Where can you hike on the volcano?
In Arenal Volcano National Park, on trails through secondary forest and across the 1968 lava flows, with views of the cone.
Entry is $15 plus tax for foreign adults, paid by card. From San José, the lava trails and hot springs day spends about an hour on the 1968 trails; from La Fortuna, local tours add longer hikes.
Want to walk on the lava flows? This San José day includes an hour on the 1968 trails.
Explore the lava trails and hot springs dayHow tall is Arenal Volcano?
About 1,633 metres (5,358 feet), a near-perfect cone that rises sharply from the plains.
Lake Arenal, Costa Rica's largest lake, lies at its western foot.
When is the best chance of a clear view?
Mornings and the drier months, roughly February to April; afternoons and the rainy season bring more cloud.
Arenal sits on the wet Caribbean side of the mountains and can hide in cloud for days at any time of year. The tours run in all weather, so treat a clear summit as a bonus.
Is it safe to visit Arenal?
Visitor areas such as the national park, the hot springs and La Fortuna operate normally, and the closed summit zone keeps visitors away from the dangerous slopes.
Follow your guide and the park rules. Planning a day trip? Read is the day trip from San José worth it.
Ready to see it for yourself? Check dates for the Arenal Volcano Experience.
Check dates for the Arenal Volcano ExperienceFrequently asked questions
Will I see lava at Arenal?
No. There has been no visible lava since the volcano entered its resting phase in 2010.
Can Arenal erupt again?
It is still an active volcano and is monitored, but it has been resting since 2010 and visitor areas operate normally.
Do the San José tours hike the volcano?
The flagship does not; the lava trails day includes about an hour on the 1968 trails.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Arenal Volcano & Thermal Hot Springs Day
An hour on the 1968 lava-flow trails, then a soak
Arenal Volcano Experience: Full Day from San José
- Hotel pickup in San José (default 6:30 AM) and air-conditioned transport
- Bilingual guide, plus coffee or tea with local snacks
- Lunch near Arenal and a Costa Rican dinner on the way back
Waterfall, Volcano Hike & Natural Hot Springs
The hiking version: steep trail, waterfall swim, natural springs
