The Best Hike You've Never Heard Of: Cerro Dantas, Costa Rica

Thirty minutes from San José and most people drive right past it. Cerro Dantas sits inside a wildlife refuge and the trail is quiet even on weekends. Bring rain layers — cloud forest means business. 4.5 miles roundtrip, 1,200 ft elevation gain. Bring water, skip the sandals.

This is the kind of trail that rewards the people who actually look. AllTrails shows it, but barely. The trailhead is unmarked from the main road — you'll see a wooden gate and a hand-painted sign. Park on the shoulder, sign the visitor log, and you're in.

The trail climbs steadily through secondary forest before opening into cloud forest at the top. On a clear morning you can see Volcán Barva and the Central Valley below. Wildlife is abundant: resplendent quetzals have been spotted here in season. Go early, go quiet, go often.