El Viejo Volcano
Quick Facts
- Location : Poas Volcano National Park
- Altitude : 6,962 feet above sea level
El Viejo Volcano lies within Poas Volcano National Park, one of Costa Rica's most visited attractions. The volcano's surrounding landscape features cedar and palm forests. Hiking trails wind through the national park, but due to El Viejo's seclusion, it can be very difficult to reach. Always consult with a park ranger for beginning a trek to the volcano crater.
read more closeEl Viejo, meaning The Old Man, is comprised of the sulfur deposits and cliffs that make up the Rio Segundo and Chocosuela craters. Up until 1960, El Viejo exhibited prolific fumarolic activity, puffing giant plumes of steam that could be seen for miles. By 1965, activity had decreased and by 1975, the fumaroles had disappeared completely. The mountain is sometimes known as “the dead volcano.”