Panama Metropolitan Nature Park, also known as the Parque Natural Metropolitano is a beautiful place to visit for recreation or educational purposes. This park is located about fifteen minutes from Panama City and it covers about 573 acres of beautiful, soothing dry forest.
As soon as you arrive at the park, you can check out the small museum or visit the library to learn more about the animals inhabiting this amazing forest. You can also stop by the gift shop to pick up a few souvenirs to remind you of the wonderful time you had.
The park has five trails, each of which has its own special features that make them unique, so you can choose the one that suits your interests the most.
Here are the names of the Panama Metropolitan Nature Park trails and a brief description of each:
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Mono Titi Road- You’ll find this road/trail behind the “Castle” and it’s the widest of all the trails because it used to be a main road. However, only park vehicles are allowed on the road now for maintenance purposes. Due to its width, you can run or ride bikes through the road/trail but be ready for a climb because this one is mostly uphill. It ends at Cedar Hill Lookout Point and you can stop by the "Los Trinos" Lookout Point along the way to rest. Keep your eyes open for the small Geoffroyi's tamarin monkey on this trail.
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Cienaguita Trail- This is the oldest trail in the park and you’ll find the entrance behind the security station. It ends near the top of Cedar Hill where it runs into the Mono Titi Road trail. It takes about two hours to hike and it’s filled with all types of wildlife. You’ll want to stay quiet and keep your eyes and ears open when hiking this trail so you can enjoy nature at its finest.
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Roble Trail- Named after a big Roble tree located behind the Bonsai Garden, Roble Trail takes about 25 minutes to hike and it doesn’t present any major problems for hikers.
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Caobos Trail- With a beautiful view of a portion of Panama City and the astounding bay area, this is an excellent trail to hike. However, it does have several distinct slopes that could be difficult to manage if you’re not in good physical condition.
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Los Momotides Trail- It takes about 45 minutes to complete this trail and the terrain is flat and easy to maneuver through. It’s named after a very colorful bird called the "Blue-Crowed Momot" and if you take time to observe the animals throughout this trail, you’re sure to see one.
The Panama Metropolitan Nature Park is one of the most beautiful parks you’ll ever see with a wide variety of birds, insects, butterflies, mammals and reptiles to see. It’s a great place to visit with your family and friends, especially if you love seeing nature in its purest form.