Rosales, Alajuela
Summer season is here in Costa Rica and I wanted to retake the search for good roads for walking and biking. I visited the small town of Rosales, located at the foot of the Barva Volcano.
Localization of Rosales
Located 5km east of Alajuela downtown, Rosales is a small town that recently is thriving with middle-class families building their homes there.
It is not as cold as other mountain towns, nor as hot as Alajuela. It can be reached from Alajuela and from Santa Barbara de Heredia too. You can access it too from San Pedro de Santa Barbara which, at the same time, has access to the most important highway in Costa Rica, the General Cañas.

Road to Rosales
The road to the village from Alajuela is in superb condition for cars.
There is a lack of sidewalks so you should be careful if jogging or walking. Bicycle riders should be careful too. Some portions of the road do have no street lights at all.
From Alajuela, there is a high gain of 200 meters, so expect a lot of slopes. Some flat parts here and there but you should wear your best sports shoes with the best grip. Also, bicycle riders should tune the brakes of their bicycles.
Few cars during work hours or weekends, and the bus service is one unit every 3 hours. So be sure to have installed an app to call a taxi just in case you need it.
There are just a few supermarkets and “pulperias” (small groceries stores) in the 6-kilometer gap between the road starting from Alajuela and San Pedro. It is better to be prepared with water and some healthy snack.

Is this route to Rosales safe?
In the last years there has not been any single incident reported to authorities in Rosales or nearby. Obviously, avoid it at night as I told you before there are no street lights in some parts.
In some parts, there are no houses nearby. I highly recommend going with a friend or family member.

Any point in going there?
My blog does not emphasize promoting tourist sites or points of interest. I’m just a lonely wanderer who likes to jog, walk, or bike. I found the road to Rosales lovely, with a superb view of the Barva Volcano, some nice views of the central valley, and a lot of peace since there are almost no vehicles. One feels safe to see houses and people outside sometimes all around.
For the casual jogger and cyclist is a good point to gain physical condition. At the road start, there is a taxi stop and a bus stop. You can take a bus too in San Pedro too, with a bus passing every 20 minutes. You won’t find yourself either stranded or lost since it is a single road. There are plenty of people to ask for directions and a full 4G signal for your smartphone map app.
If you start to feel the burden of the route slopes, just slow down the rhythm or rest a bit.
Road to Rosales photos
Next, enjoy some photos of Rosales and its surroundins. Disclaimer: This article was written by an human being. No IA used.