This massive volcano is 2260 meters high and located in western Mexico, 50 kilometers southeast of Tepic in the state of Nayarit. A narrow, but well maintained cobblestone road twists and turns on its way up to microwave towers at the very peak. The changes in vegetation are dramatic as one rises in elevation, with a pine forest and chilly temperatures at the top. It’s not unusual to find a few roadrunners competing with the cars that come up this road.
Steaming Fumaroles
A short distance from the microwave towers, visitors will notice white wisps rising from the base of a wall east of the cobblestone road. Here, visitors can find numerous fumaroles which have no sulfurous smell whatsoever. This is no guarantee, however, that these vapors are safe for steaming vegetables.
Camping on Ceboruco Volcano
A short distance before the microwave towers, there is a flat spot surrounded by enormous chunks of rugged lava, a frozen sea of violent passion. This is an ideal spot for camping and the trailhead for a hike to Ceboruco’s dramatic crater.
The view from the nearby microwave towers, by the way, is impressive, especially during a thunderstorm, when you can see lightning bolts shooting up and down between the clouds and the valleys below.
Hiking to Ceboruco’s Crater
Ceboruco Volcano has a large crater located southeast of the camping site and reachable in about an hour. As this is a very isolated area, be sure to carry proper gear for hiking in Mexico. The path to the crater runs up and down hills covered with pine trees dripping with Spanish moss. Capulín (Mexican cherry) trees are also common, as are a variety of gorgeous orchids. Along the way to the crater, hikers will fall in love with beautiful little meadows bordered by walls of lava, and may even come upon a few puma tracks along the way.
Dramatic View from the Crater Rim
The crater has the shape of a round, green valley with an outcrop of broken lava in its center. Here you will find several active fumaroles, all of them reeking of sulfur. The view to the west from the volcano’s rim is particularly impressive. A black lava field stretches as far as the eye can see, broken only by a thin line along which ants appear to be crawling. This is, in fact, the autopista from Guadalajara to Tepic and the “ants” are trucks and buses.
If you enjoy the scenery at Ceboruco, you may want to visit Tequila Volcano as well, located 90 kilometers to the southeast.
Directions to Ceboruco Volcano
From Guadalajara, take toll highway 15 towards Nogales and Tepic. Get off at the Jala exit. Upon reaching the church in Jala, look for Avenida Hidalgo on the left side of the building and continue on through town, after which you will see the volcano ahead of you.
At the first Y, take the left fork over a small bridge. Keep left at the next fork and you will be on the cobblestone road which passes over the toll road and then brings you to the top of the mountain in 40 minutes. Driving time from Guadalajara is about two hours.
