Most of Soberania National Park was formerly the Canal Zone Forest Preserve, now under jurisdiction of Panama since the implementation, in 1979, of the Panama Canal Treaty. Due to Canal construction large areas of Panama's irreplaceable jungle have disappeared but thanks to the foresight of the late Dr. Thomas Barbour, a well-known naturalist who proposed the establishment of a forest preserve, this valuable tract of tropical woodland has been saved almost intact.
This became the Parque Soberania when Panama's government created a national park in 1985 on the same location in the Canal watershed with an area of 22,000 hectareas which is about 6.7% of the basin and a perfect example of tropical forest. More than 150 species of birds frequent the area and the forest contains over 200 species of trees.
The entrance to the park is near Gamboa. It has a well maintained road through the western portion of the park called "Pipeline Road" where the Panama Audubon Society established the World Record Bird Count at Christmas 1985 by identifying more species of birds in a 24-hour period than ever before.
If you want to visit the park or walk the Pipeline Road you have to call ANAM (The National Environmental Authority) at 232-4192. Admission fee for the Pipeline Road and other small excursions within the park is $5 and 25 cents for children. It is recommended that children be over 12 years old. A guide and a park ranger will accompany the party. Here are some of the species of birds you may see on the Pipeline Road: Rufus-Vented Ground-Cuckoo; Crested Owl; White-Vented Euphonia; White-Ringed Flycatcher; Broad-Billed Sapayoa; Blue Cotinga; White-Tipped Sicklebill; Doubled-Toothed Kite; Spotted Antbird; Olive-Striped Flycatcher; Bay-Headed Tanager.
Trails exist along the rivers and streams that cross the road and one trail leads to a large waterfall, on a river, Agua Salud, which flows to Gatún Lake. Two other trails called "El Charco" and "La Roca" have interesting features marked and interpreted. Both take approximately one hour and you will need to call ANAM which will provide a guide. Morfo butterflies are abundant in all the area. El Charco is a good hike. The trail crosses Rio Sardinilla several times and the trees and vegetation are splendid. Groups of up to fifteen or twenty persons are allowed but children under six are not. Admission fee is a dollar per person and is used to help maintain the park.
Other worthwhile, full day walks are both Plantation Road and Las Cruces Trail.
