Chagres National Park

Overview
With a surface area of 300,000 acres, Chagres lies between the provinces of Panama and Colon, on the east side of the Canal. Chagres National Park was created to protect the tropical rainforest's as well as the rivers that run through the park.

These rivers are the main source of water for the Panama canal. The park protects the forests in order to produce the necessary rainfall in quantities sufficient to allow day to day operations in the canal and provide drinking water to Panama City.

How to Get From Panama City to Chagres National Park

You can take the Transisthmian Highway to the Madden Dam or you can take the Calzada Larga road to Alajuela Lake.  You can also take the Pan-American Highway to Cerro Azul which is about 30 kilometers from Panama City.

What to do in Chagres National Park

If you like rafting you should visit the Chagres River.  If you want to go fishing or water skiing you should visit Lake Alajuela. You can also go sailing and swimming there.

You can also go camping and bird watching just about anywhere in the park or visit the local Indian villages of the Embera-Wounan tribe.  These Indians have preserved their traditional way of living and they live in the Chagres Park.

At the peak of Cerro Jefe it is possible to see both oceans on a very clear day.  At 3,000 feet though it has to be very clear.

Services Near Chagres National Park

Being very close to the city, all amenities can be found close by.  Hotels, restaurants and anything else you may need.  You do need to contact a guide to visit the park.

For more information or reservations, call from Panama: 832-7679
From USA call: (954)678-9990.

Parque Chagres (Espanol)