Here’s my camping experience on Cerro de la Muerte, in February 2020, at Refugio Ecológico Mosqueritos. Mosqueritos takes campers, and you can call 6071-9090 to ask what it costs today and what days they’re open. Bring plenty of warm layers, because up high on the mountain the temperature has dropped below 4 °C.
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My Camping Experience on Cerro de la Muerte (February 2020)
Do you like offbeat adventures for the weekend? Then this one’s for you.
One of my goals this year is to get to know a new place, and I started with something only for the brave: camping on Cerro de la Muerte.
I went to Refugio Ecológico Mosqueritos, and besides spending the day there, I took the chance to have an experience in those cold mountains. It’s 2 kilometers from a place known as the first Chespiritos and has several amenities (drinking water, bathrooms, covered shelters) for a great night with the stars as your roof, though you can also just go for the day.
Best of all, it costs 5,000 colones per person, and you can book ahead at 8834-5482.
If you like this kind of outing, don’t think twice!
The price and phone number above are the ones from that 2020 trip. The number to call today is 6071-9090.
How Cold Does It Get on Cerro de la Muerte, and What Should You Bring?
Pretty cold, especially in the early morning hours. The top of the massif, also called Cerro Buenavista, reaches 3,491 meters. On November 23, 2022, the National Meteorological Institute reported a low of 3.7 °C on Cerro de la Muerte and called it normal for that time of year. On January 5, 2020, it measured 1.8 °C, and in 2017 the road and the vegetation were covered in ice.
For Los Quetzales National Park, along the same highway, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute gives temperatures of 5 to 14 °C and 2,648 mm of rain a year.
With that in mind, to camp in an area like this, bring a tent and a cold-weather sleeping bag, thermal clothing, a hat, gloves, and an extra coat for the night, plus a waterproof jacket, because it can rain. Don’t forget sunscreen, repellent, a flashlight, and food and water for the road.
Route 2 Can Also Close Because of Rain
The Interamericana Sur highway, Costa Rica’s Route 2, has had closures because of rain and landslides. In 2022, during preventive closures for landslides, Conavi advised against crossing in rain or fog. In November 2024 there were preventive overnight closures from the 11th through the 28th of that month, and on the night of October 4 to 5, 2025, MOPT closed the entire pass, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and recommended the Costanera Sur as an alternate route.
For that reason, it’s best to travel by day and check MOPT’s notices before you leave.
What Else to Do in the Dota Area
Los Quetzales National Park is in Copey de Dota, 76.5 km south of San José, and since May 2025 you can buy tickets in advance on the SINAC website. If you’d rather sleep under a roof, you can look for hotels in San Gerardo de Dota in this area, the starting point for a multi-day trek through the park.
One more outing to keep exploring: the Barranca River waterfalls in San Ramón.
