Omar Torrijos National Park

The park above El Copé, named for the general whose aircraft crashed in these mountains in 1981, sits directly on the continental divide, and on the rare clear morning both the Caribbean and the Pacific are visible from the ridge at the same time. The forest is wet and mossy with tree ferns and epiphytes, and the bird list is long. A ranger station on the divide has bunks, and trails drop from it into the forest on both sides.

What you actually see

• The continental divide - the ridge with both oceans visible on the clearest mornings.
• The cloud forest - mossy wet woodland with tree ferns and epiphytes.
• The bird list - a long tally including highland species hard to find elsewhere.
• The ranger station - the base on the divide with basic bunks and trailheads.

When to go

December to April is drier with the best chance of a clear view. Rain and cloud dominate the rest of the year. Early morning is the only realistic window for the two-ocean view.

Honest expectations

Cloud sits on the ridge most days and the two-ocean view is rare. The access road is rough and needs four-wheel drive in the wet. Facilities are minimal and food must be brought.

Nearby

El Copé is below, and Penonomé is southeast.