The broad, well-vegetated edifice of Poás, one of the most active
volcanoes of Costa Rica, contains three craters along a N-S line. The
frequently visited multi-hued summit crater lakes of the basaltic-to-
dacitic volcano, which is one of Costa Rica's most prominent natural
landmarks, are easily accessible by vehicle from the nearby capital
city of San José. A N-S-trending fissure cutting the 2708-m-high
complex stratovolcano extends to the lower northern flank, where it
has produced the Congo stratovolcano and several lake-filled maars.
The southernmost of the two summit crater lakes, Botos, is cold and
clear and last erupted about 7500 years ago. The more prominent
geothermally heated northern lake, Laguna Caliente, is one of the
world's most acidic natural lakes, with a pH of near zero. It has been
the site of frequent phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions since the first historical eruption was reported in
1828. Poás eruptions often include geyser-like ejections of crater-lake water. (Global Volcanism Program)
Poas
Location: 10.20° N, 84.23° W
Elevation: 2.708 m
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volcanoes of Costa Rica, contains three craters along a N-S line. The
frequently visited multi-hued summit crater lakes of the basaltic-to-
dacitic volcano, which is one of Costa Rica's most prominent natural
landmarks, are easily accessible by vehicle from the nearby capital
city of San José. A N-S-trending fissure cutting the 2708-m-high
complex stratovolcano extends to the lower northern flank, where it
has produced the Congo stratovolcano and several lake-filled maars.
The southernmost of the two summit crater lakes, Botos, is cold and
clear and last erupted about 7500 years ago. The more prominent
geothermally heated northern lake, Laguna Caliente, is one of the
world's most acidic natural lakes, with a pH of near zero. It has been
the site of frequent phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions since the first historical eruption was reported in
1828. Poás eruptions often include geyser-like ejections of crater-lake water. (Global Volcanism Program)
Poas
Location: 10.20° N, 84.23° W
Elevation: 2.708 m
HOME