The Pride of Olancho
By JUDITH C. SHAFFER
La Muralla National Park is the self-proclaimed Pride of
Olancho. And well it should be. Home to three-toed sloths,
source of crystal-clear waters and major eco-tourist magnet, the
people of Olancho know the park is something special. If you
make the 3½-hour trip from Tegucigalpa, you'll know it too.
The nice thing about La Muralla is that the trip there is as
enjoyable as the park itself. Whether you drive or take the bus,
it's a slow wind east along the highway to Olancho, a roadway
that is notably less frenetic than the crazy-driver-filled Carretera
del Norte between Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula.
Once you get past the dismal urban buffer zone that stretches the
first 30km or so outside the capital, the drive becomes punctuated
by rolling pine stands, brushy savannas and, what Olancho is best
known for, cows. These bovine beasts do much for the
quaintness of the scenery, but they also have free run of the land,
so watch out for stray herds in the highway and don't think the
fact that you're barreling along at 80kmph means the cows will
think they should bother themselves with getting out of your way.
About two hours out of Tegucigalpa, 20km or so past the village
of Campamento, you'll come across a wide spot in the road
called Los Limones. This is where you turn off the paved highway
and venture into the gravel roads of rural Honduras. This is also a
popular place for cars and buses to stop for one last hot meal or a
soda at the comedor on the corner. If you order the plato typico
(and there's little else to order), expect lots of beef. After all, this
is Olancho.
At Los Limones, head left, or north, just after the comedor. The
maps say this is highway 27, although there's no road sign saying
so and the locals will just tell you it's the road to Trujillo.
Highway 27 is an excellent gravel road that takes you past even
denser cattle ranches and winds through fresh pine forests. After
about an hour, you'll pass through a small village called El
Rosario. The Mangulile River, which passes under the village's
spanking new bridge, is a good spot to take a break from driving,
kick off your shoes, wade in the knee-deep water, grab at
minnows and skip stones.
On the other hand, once you've made it to El Rosario, you're only
about 15 minutes away from La Union, the last village before La
Muralla, and you may want to just keep driving.
On your right entering La Union, you'll pass Hotelito Muralla, a
good place to stay if you're not planning on camping in the park.
Lps. 30.00 will get you a clean room for two, complete with fresh
water, a bar of soap and line-dried sheets. The guests of the
hotel's ten rooms share two latrine-style toilets and two cold
water showers, both of which the owners keep notably clean.
In La Union, ask the locals to point you toward the road to La
Muralla. From there's its an easy 20-minute climb to the park
entrance. Be careful during the rainy season because the road
passes right through three creek beds. If you don't have 4-wheel
drive, it's a good idea to check out the depth of the water before
you go splashing through.
At the entrance to La Muralla sits a three-year-old visitors' center
and a ranger who is on hand to answer your questions. The
visitors' center lawn is a comfortable place to pitch a tent if you
want to spend the night in the park. It's also a good place for a
picnic before venturing off along one of the park's well-marked
trails.
The visitors' center itself boasts a small museum on the flora and
fauna of the park, as well as a video screening room. The displays
and literature will give you a good idea of what you can expect to
encounter in the cloud forest.
When you're ready for a hike, ask the ranger to point out the trail
heads. Three begin right there at the visitor's center and several
more trails branch off from those deeper in the forest. Although
there are no trail maps available, the trails are well marked and
easy to follow. Log bridges make river crossings easier and an
occasional pathside bench or lookout point provide nice resting
places.
Some of the trails lead to ready-made campsites. The clearing at
the end of the Monte Escondido trail lets you set up your tent
right next to a waterfall.
The ranger says there have never been any problems between
campers and some of the more predatorial animals that live in the
park, like jaguars and mountain lions. Still, it's always a good idea
to follow basic camping safety rules like keeping your food away
from your tent.
 The La Muralla trails
are rich with bright
jungle flowers and
mushrooms. Locals say
La Muralla is also one
of the best places to
spot the elusive quetzal,
the majestic bird of the
ancient Mayans.
With a little luck and a
lot of patience, you
might also spot one of
the other animals that
inhabit La Muralla.
These include
three-toed sloths,
howler monkeys,
white-tailed deer,
tapirs, white-crowned parrots and porcupines.
Unlike many other national parks and protected areas, there is
little problem with human encroachment in La Muralla, says the
park ranger, who works for the Honduran Forest Development
Corporation (COHDEFOR). Although people who owned land
in the area before it was declared a national park in 1987 are still
struggling to obtain government reimbursements, the ranger says
most of the people understand that the park is an important water
source and know what they have to do to protect it.
Maybe that's what they meant when they called La Muralla the
Pride of Olancho.
Caption...
Park rangers say the people that live near La Muralla understand
the importance of the park. Community awareness classes like
this one keep encroachment and abuse low.
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