Azufral

LocationNariño
 ColombiaParent rangeWestern Ranges
 AndesGeologyAge of rockHoloceneMountain typeStratovolcanoVolcanic arc/beltNorthern Volcanic Zone, Andean Volcanic BeltLast eruption930 BC(?)^[1]

Azufral is a stratovolcano located in the department of Nariño in southern Colombia, 12 km (7 mi) west of the town of Túquerres. It is the only volcano of the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes. Its name derives from the Spanish word for sulfur, azufre. The volcano is considered semi-dormant but there are numerous fumaroles in the summit crater. The summit of the volcano has an altitude of 4,070 metres (13,350 ft),^[1] and the north-western side of the crater contains a crescent-shaped lake named Laguna Verde (English: Green Lake) at 3,970 m (13,025 ft). The lake is 1,100 m (0.68 mi) long and 600 metres (2,000 ft) wide.^[2] and its bright green color is a result of the sulfur and iron-based deposits in the crater. There are also two other much smaller lakes in the crater, Laguna Negra (English: Black Lake) and Laguna Cristal (English: Crystal Lake).

The volcano lies within a nature reserve, the Reserva Natural del Azufral, created in 1990.^[2] The reserve covers an area of 5,800 hectares (58 km²) and is free of charge to enter. As Azufral is semi-dormant, there are no restrictions on ascending the volcano and visiting Laguna Verde: there is a road that climbs to within 1.5 kilometers (1 mi) from the summit, and the remaining distance can be covered on foot via a trail.

Gallery

See also

• List of volcanoes in Colombia
• List of volcanoes by elevation

References

General biota

Vertebrates	Birds Endemic Mammals Primates Reptiles Lizards Snakes
Other	Butterflies Non-marine molluscs Flora

Regional biotaEcoregions

Tumbes Chocó Magdalena	Chocó–Darién moist forests Eastern Panamanian montane forests Esmeraldas–Pacific Colombia mangroves Magdalena Valley montane forests Magdalena–Urabá moist forests Panama Bight Western Ecuador moist forests
Tropical Andes	Bogotá savanna Cauca Valley dry forests Cauca Valley montane forests Cocora Valley Cordillera Oriental montane forests Eastern Cordillera Real montane forests Magdalena Valley dry forests Northern Andean páramo Northwestern Andean montane forests Patía Valley dry forests Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Santa Marta montane forests Santa Marta páramo Sumapaz Páramo
Other	Amazon–Orinoco–Southern Caribbean mangroves Campinarana Caquetá moist forests Catatumbo moist forests Guajira–Barranquilla xeric scrub Japurá–Solimões–Negro moist forests Napo moist forests Negro–Branco moist forests Sinú Valley dry forests

Nature reservesOrganizations