Colorado Airstrip

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons and strategic obsolescence. The Osa Peninsula region is served by two larger, better-equipped airports: Drake Bay Airport (MRDK) and Puerto Jiménez Airport (MRPJ). As these airports received upgrades and more consistent charter and scheduled services, they consolidated regional air traffic. This shift made small, unpaved, high-maintenance airstrips like Colorado economically unviable for the limited number of eco-lodges and local communities they served. The cost of maintaining the remote airstrip likely outweighed the declining demand.

The site is completely abandoned and has been reclaimed by nature. Recent satellite imagery shows the former 1000-meter (3281 ft) runway is entirely overgrown with dense jungle vegetation, including shrubs and small trees. The outline of the airstrip is still faintly visible from the air, but it is completely unusable for any type of aircraft. The land has reverted to its natural state, blending in with the surrounding forest and pastureland.

Colorado Airstrip was a crucial local aviation facility for the extremely remote northeastern coast of the Osa Peninsula. Its primary function was to support ecotourism, providing air access for guests visiting nearby jungle lodges and nature reserves. It also served as a logistical lifeline for local residents and biological research stations, enabling the transport of people, food, and supplies to an area with limited road access. The airstrip typically handled small, single or twin-engine propeller aircraft (like the Cessna 206 or Britten-Norman Islander) capable of operating from a short, unpaved grass/dirt runway. It was an essential part of the infrastructure that helped establish the Osa Peninsula as a world-renowned ecotourism destination.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Colorado Airstrip. The factors that led to its closure remain valid; the nearby airports at Drake Bay and Puerto Jiménez are well-established and continue to serve the region's aviation needs effectively. Reopening the airstrip would require a substantial investment to clear the extensive vegetation, regrade and prepare the runway surface, and obtain recertification from Costa Rica's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC). With no apparent economic or logistical demand, the prospect of its revival is extremely low.