Like all of Costa Rica's volcanoes, Turrialba is a national park. 
Even so, due to the lack of recent eruptions... there has 
been no significant activity... for more than 130 years, the 
slopes are fairly well populated with long-standing, dairy farms.

The  greens of pasture and forest, mingle in free form 
patterns.

Although many adventure tourists know the city of Turrialba, 
(that's where a lot of the white water rafting trips begin),
the volcano... seems to have been bypassed by tourism,
the National Parks Service, doesn't even post rangers there.

But it's three craters... present expansive landscapes and 
intriguing trekking for adventurous travelers.

Unlike other volcanoes in Costa Rica... the craters of Turrialba
are accessible. 

It is possible to climb down to the floor... of the central crater,
where sulfurous fumaroles and geothermal heating of the crater
floor... are evident.

  Turrialba  Volcano

Towering over 10,000 feet, Turrialba is the second tallest volcano
in Costa Rica, bested only by it's twin, Irazú.

The high altitude-induced low temperatures and high moisture  content... caused by the convergence of Atlantic and Pacific air  masses, creates a paramo-like region... reminiscent of  "Cerro de 
la Muerte", the highest spot... along the Inter-American highway
in Costa Rica.

Volcano  Landscape

Turrialba, the easternmost of Costa Rica's Holocene volcanoes,
is a large vegetated basaltic Strato Volcano... located across a
broad saddle NE of Irazú Volcano... overlooking the city of 
Cartago, in Orosi Valley in Costa Rica.

The massive 3340 m high Turrialba, is exceeded in height only
by Irazu Volcano and covers an area of 500 sq km and is one of 
Costa Rica's most voluminous volcanoes.  Turrialba is located
from North East to South East, between the Conservation... 
of the Central Mountain Range area and the International
La Amistad Park, surrounded by the six protected zones.

Turrialba is located only 64 km to the South East from San José
and 108 km from Limón.  This is in the Talamanca Mountain Range.

There is the pressure on the High Talamanca Indian communities, specifically the Bribri and Cabecar Indian communities that worry
about the exploitations of their land... by companies, that will mine
gold ore and drill existing petroleum deposits. (Especially Harken
Energies – owned by George W. Bush and Friends).

It is one of the entrance and exit doors to the Atlantic side of 
the country.

Three well-defined craters occur at the upper SW end... of a broad
800 x 2200 m wide summit depression, that is breached to the NE.

Most activity at Turrialba... originated from the summit vent
complex, but two pyro-clastic cones are located on the SW flank.

Five major explosive eruptions have occurred... at Turrialba,
during the past 3500 years. Turrialba has been quiescent...
since a series of explosive eruptions... during the 19th century,
that were sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows. Fumarolic activity continues at the central and SW summit craters.

Of particular interest is the unique opportunity to descend...
to the floor of a major volcanic crater. 

The Spaniards called this volcano, "Torre Alba" (Alba Tower),
because its eruptions gave the impression of a huge white
tower.