Rancho Frío (Pirre Station)

Introducing Rancho Frío (Pirre Station)

Thirteen kilometers south of El Real, as the lemon-spectacled tanager flies, is the Rancho Frío sector of Parque Nacional Darién. The sector is home to Pirre Station, though this should not be confused with the station at the top of Mount Pirre near Cana. Nomenclature aside, Rancho Frío is, to steal a line from the famous naturalist guide Hernán Araúz, ‘Panama’s foremost theater of life.’

Although most of the bird species represented here can also be found at Cana, there are a number of rare specialities here including the crimson-bellied woodpecker, the white-fronted nunbird and the striped woodhaunter. However, the real strength of this sector is the network of accessible trails that originate from Pierre Station.

One trail leads to Mount Pirre ridge, which takes most hikers two days to reach, while the other winds through thick jungle to a series of cascades about an hour’s hike away. Neither trail should be attempted without a guide as they are not well marked, and if you get lost out here, you’re finished.

If you intend to visit Pirre Station, you must first get permission from the ANAM office in El Real and pay US$3; if no one’s at the office when you arrive, ask around for Narciso ‘Chicho’ Bristan, who can take care of business. However, as previously mentioned, in order to hike into Rancho Frío, you must either hire a local guide or be part of an Ancon tour – ANAM will not let you proceed from El Real if you are unescorted. If you’re not part of an Ancon tour, the ANAM office is a good place to inquire about hiring a local guide – expect to pay about US$20 per day.

At Pirre Station, there are barracks (cots per person US$10) with a front room with fold-out cots for visitors, a small outdoor dining area beside a very basic kitchen, a palapa (open-sided shelter) with a few chairs and a number of flush toilets and cold-water showers. There is also a shady campsite (per person US$5) where you can either pitch a tent or string up a jungle hammock. There is no electricity at the station.

If you plan on eating (which is always a good idea), you must bring your own food. The rangers will cook your food for you (US$5 a day is most appreciated), but you must provide bottled water. However, if you’ve got a water-purification system or tablets, the water in the creek is OK to drink, and there are lots of lemon trees in the vicinity of the station. Be sure to try the zapote growing at the station – this fruit has a fleshy orange meat with the appearance, taste and texture of mango and it’s highly addictive.

Pirre Station can only be reached by hiking or by a combination of hiking and boating. If you prefer to hike, take the ‘road’ connecting El Real and Rancho Frío – hiking this barely discernible path takes several hours (depending on your pace) and is pretty much impossible without a guide.

The alternative is to hire a boater in El Real to take you up the Río Pirre to Piji Baisal – expect to pay about US$40 plus the cost of gasoline. From Piji Baisal, it’s a one-hour hike to the station, and you’ll need a guide to lead you to the station as there are no signs to mark the way.

Only 15km separate Pirre Station and Cana, and between the two there’s nothing but virgin rainforest. Unfortunately, no trails link the two, but it’s possible to backtrack to El Real, take a boat to Boca de Cupe and then follow the old mining trail to Cana. This historic highway is just under 30km long, and can be done in two long days. If you’re interested in hiking along this rugged trail, check out the Darién Explorer Trek offered by Ancon Expeditions.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009