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Nevado de Toluca. Image by Christopher Javier Cuenca García –

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Nevado de Toluca

The Nevado De Toluca is a composite volcano that is located in central Mexico. The volcano is located near the city of Toluca and is ranked the fourth highest mountain in the country. It is raked fourth after Iztaccihuati, Popocatepetl, and Pico de Orizaba.

The place has become a great tourist attraction and currently serves as a national park. The highest point is 4,680 meters high. The mountain also has a summit caldera that is one-point-five kilometers wide. This caldera is open to the east. The volcano has numerous physical features that have made it a great tourist attraction site.

The features include two crater lakes and forest vegetation. This volcano has undergone numerous eruptions that reduced its height about 25, 000 years ago. However, it became dormant due to the formation of the El Ombligo volcanic plug. There are lots of interesting facts that have made Nevado de Toluca a famous place to visit in Mexico.

1. Nevado de Toluca was used as a ritual center

Photo by Kayla Maurais on

The natives used the volcano as a ritual center. They believed in the existence of supernatural beings and offered sacrifices near the crater lakes. They considered this place sacred and held numerous ceremonies to celebrate life. As a shrine, everybody was expected to respect the place.

The practice of using natural physical features as places of worship in the world has been there in many nations. This practice makes the place an interesting place to visit since individuals get to identify and interact with varied religious relics.

2. It is a great archaeological site

The volcano provides great archaeological sites. So far, 18 sites have been registered. Excavations are done to explore the lifestyle of the ancients in this place. Given that individuals used to worship in this environment, several relics are explored to examine their cultural practices.

Large numbers of offerings like copal, which was commonly used in the pre-Columbian Mesoamerica ceremonies were burned and large deposits have been found in the lakes.  Sculpted stones of the gods and other ceramics have been discovered in the region too.

3. The Nevado de Toluca has an excellent viewpoint for visitors

Every person visiting the place would want to have a perfect view of the city around and the blue skies. From the top parts of the mountain, individuals get to take a perfect glance at the cities below them from a distance.

The place also offers one of the best places for photography. With the numerous physical features in place, missing to take a photo is like missing a lifetime opportunity.

4. Nevado de Toluca offers a great sporting ground

There are lots of sporting activities that can be done on this mountain. During the cold season, hiking is done. Other activities include mountaineering, rappelling, and mountain biking. It is an excellent place where individuals go to have fun while exploring flora and fauna.

To be in a position to handle these activities perfectly, individuals are encouraged to hire tour operators. The region is high and individuals may get exposed to some health conditions scug as vomiting and dizziness.

5. There is a National park in the volcano

The Nevado de Toluca National Park is located on top of this volcano. The park was founded in 1936 and covers an area that is approximated to be 671 square kilometers. The park is filled with fir and pine trees.

There are different animal species in this park. The animals include rabbits, birds, reptiles, coyotes, squirrels, and Opossums. Initially, the park was started to protect the Nevado de Toluca volcano.

6. The volcano attracts a large number of visitors

There are lots of activities attracting large visitation to this region. Over time, the number of local and domestic tourists is increasing. It is a place no one would love to miss when in Mexico. Camping, hiking, and biking are common. The park provides individuals with sporting facilities.

There are lots of picnic sites in the region. It is an interesting place for family events. The Nevado de Toluca offers individuals an excellent site they would love to interact with when they are free.

7. Nevado de Toluca is the only Mexican volcano with crater lakes

This picture is from Nevado de Toluca, in Estado de Mexico, the moon and sun lagoon is part of an important ecosystem. The weather in this zone is always cold and snowy all the year long. Image
Amandasofiarana –

The existence of crater lakes on the volcano makes Nevado de Toluca an outstanding place to visit. There is no other volcano in Mexico with crater lakes yet the Nevado de Toluca has two.

The two lakes are Laguna de la Luna, which is referred to as the Lake of the Moon, and Laguna del Sol referred to as the Lake of the Sun. The lake of the Sun is deeper than the Lake of the Moon. The green tone of the lake of the moon and the blue tones of the lake of the Sun create beautiful scenery.

8. The volcano has served a useful purpose in tracing the cultural practices of the natives

Nothing is as important as understanding one’s culture. It helps individuals trace and knows who they are and the changes that have taken place with time.

Numerous artifacts that help tell the cultural practices that existed during the pre-Hispanic period have been excavated from the Lakes and other surrounding regions. The relics explore the religious lifestyle of the locals who used the place as a worship shrine.

9. The crater lakes in this Volcano support fishing

View of the snowy Toluca. Image by H. Ayuntamiento de Almoloya del Río –

There are a variety of fish species in the two crater lakes. They include Dark-Edged Splitfin and the mimic sanddab. This gives the natives a good source of protein. Apart from being a tourist attraction, the Nevada de Toluca adds to the locals’ nutrition. One needs experts to aid in fishing due to the cold conditions.

10. It is the only crater that is accessible by vehicles

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The accessibility of this region makes the craters the most famous in the world. Individuals going camping in the mountains have the advantage of using automobiles.

However, they are neither allowed to camp near the crater lakes nor the park. With this kind of accessibility, movement in this region is facilitated. However, on weekends, the place is often congested, creating traffic that slows movement.