Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tions school for the US army and was used as a training center for Vietnam-bound Spe-
cial Forces.
On June 30, 1999, under the Torrijos-Carter treaties, Fuerte Sherman, nearby Fuertes
Davis and Gullick, and the Parque Nacional San Lorenzo were handed back to the
Panamanian Government.
Sights
Fuerte San Lorenzo and the Parque Nacional San Lorenzo are located west of the city of
Colón and northwest of Lago Gatún. The ruins of San Lorenzo are located 9km southeast
of Fuerte Sherman on the Caribbean coastal highway and lie along the northwestern
boundary of the protected area. Although there is no official entrance to the reserve, there
is a visitors center in the village of Achiote, located along the northeastern edge of the re-
serve between the villages of Piña and Escobal.
Fuerte San Lorenzo FORT
( www.sanlorenzo.org.pa ; 8am-4pm) Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in
1980, Fuerte San Lorenzo is perched at the mouth of the Río Chagres on a promontory
west of the canal. Despite its violent history, much of San Lorenzo is well preserved, in-
cluding the moat, the cannons and the arched rooms. The fort also commands a wide
view of the river and bay far below, which was one of the reasons the Spanish chose to
fortify the site.
Like its contemporary fortresses at Portobelo, San Lorenzo was constructed of blocks
of cut coral and armed to the teeth with row upon row of cannons. If you inspect the can-
nons closely, you'll notice that some of them are actually British-made, which bespeaks
the time in the 17th century when Sir Francis Drake and his pirate brethren occupied the
fort.
There's no bus service to the fort; taxis go from Colón (around US$60 round trip for
two). If driving, go to the Gatún Locks, continue past the stoplight near the northern en-
trance to the locks and follow the signs to the dam, 2km away. Drive over the dam and
follow the 'Fuerte San Lorenzo' signs. These lead to the entrance of Fuerte Sherman
where you'll be asked to show identification. Once you've done this, you will be allowed
to proceed the remaining 9km to Fuerte San Lorenzo.
The park is renowned for bird-watching , but hikers will be more than satisfied with
guided romps through its dense secondary forest. You can also take some lovely walks
to waterfalls and natural ponds, visit organic shade-grown coffee farms and hike to
splendid lookouts with views of the protected area and the Río Chagres.
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