DOMINICA // Did the devil forget to plug a hole to the underworld? It certainly looks that way in Dominica's Valley of Desolation, where a billowing plume of vapor signals the approach to Boiling Lake. The gruelling 6km (4-mile) hike to reach it, through the Jurassic- looking folds of Morne Trois Pitons National Park, ranks among the Caribbean's most pinch-me wilderness adventures. Crumpled green hills and volcanic peaks dictate the trail, which eventually leads to the 610m-wide (2000ft) blue-grey flooded fumarole - a crack in the earth that allows hot gases to vent from the molten lava below, and the world's second-largest hot lake (after New Zealand's Frying Pan Lake).

Can you swim in Boiling Lake?

Swimming in a boiling lake when the weather turns cold is not a good idea, no matter how enticing or enjoyable it may seem. Effervescent Lake Dominica is located in Morne Travis Pitons National Park, a World Heritage Site of Dominica. It is a water-filled fumarole 6.5 miles (10.5 km) east of Roseau, Dominica.

What causes Boiling Lake?

Lake Dominica is a high-temperature crater lake formed after a phreatic or ferromagmatic explosive event (Di Napoli et al., 2013; Joseph et al., 2011). This lake is located on a hill in the east of Virani Valley, 750 meters above sea level and 10.5 kilometers away from the capital of Rozo.

What is Boiling Lake known for?

The second largest lake of its kind in the world, Effervescent Lake is a submerged fumarole from a volcano in an area known as a desert canyon - words that seem to describe life on another planet but are just as well what it is. You will find if you are brave enough

How long is the hike to Boiling Lake?

Take this 6.1 mile round trip trail near Laudat, St. George. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 hours and 14 minutes to complete.

Why is the Boiling Lake so hot?

The basin is filled with rain and two small streams that flow into the area. Then the water penetrates towards the magma and heats up to the boiling point.