page_title: Nevado de Toluca National Park
section_title: The crater
hierarchical_section_title: Nevado de Toluca National Park / The crater
caption_attribution_description: English: 360° panoramic view from crater rim of Nevado Toluca, 120 km to the east the Popocatépetl rises out of the clouds Deutsch: 360°-Panoramablick vom Kraterrand des Nevado Toluca, 120 km östlich steigt der Popocatépetl aus den Wolken Español: vista panorámica de 360° desde el borde del cráter del Nevado de Toluca, 120 km al este el Popocatépetl se levanta de las nubes Français&#160;: Vue panoramique à 360° du cratère du volcan Nevado de Toluca, à 120 km à l'est le Popocatépetl émerge des nuages
context_page_description: The Nevado de Toluca National Park is located southwest of the city of Toluca, Mexico State. It was decreed a park in 1936, primarily to protect the Nevado de Toluca volcano, which forms nearly the park's entire surface and is the fourth highest peak in Mexico. It is 45 km from Toluca and 135 from Mexico City. The park was established with the aim of conservation, but the park is under increasing pressure from the growth of the Toluca metropolitan area as well as from illegal logging done by local communities who need the income. The volcano has been long extinct and has a large crater in which are two shallow lakes. The crater and lakes are popular with visitors from Mexico State and Mexico City, especially when there is snow. There are a number of archeological sites in the park, including the lakes themselves, which contain numerous offerings of copal and other items that were deposited during the pre-Hispanic period. The park offers activities such as hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding as well as limited skiing facilities. Due to its altitude, the summit of the Nevado is significantly colder than the surrounding area.
context_section_description: At the top of the mountain/volcano is a large elliptical crater which measures 2 by 1.5 kilometers. This crater consists of a relatively flat floor with two small lakes surrounded by peaks which rise as high as 500 meters on the jagged edge of the crater, forming nearly vertical walls in most parts. The crater floor is at 4,558 meters above sea level, formed by rock that seals the opening of this long-extinct volcano.
  The lakes in the crater are the main attraction. This is the only volcano in Mexico with crater lakes. These lakes are among the highest of their type in the world. The two lakes are called the Laguna del Sol (Lake of the Sun) and the Laguna de la Luna (Lake of the Moon). The Lake of the Sun is larger and deeper. The water extends hundreds of meters deep is clear with green tones. The Lake of the Sun has blue tones. In these have been found a number of important archeological discoveries, which are related to ceremonies that were performed here in the pre-Hispanic period. They are not extremely deep but they are very cold. Fishing and scuba diving can be practiced here, but the latter is recommended only with experts due to the cold and the high altitude. The water levels of the lakes have dropped because of higher temperatures and evaporation rates in the most recent decades.
  One reason this crater is popular with visitors is that it is the only one in Mexico which can be reached by automobile. A dirt road winds its way up the rugged sides of the volcano for 48 km and ends very close to the crater. The weather at this altitude is cold for most of the year, with high temperatures varying between 4 and 14C. The summit area can be snowy from November to March, and is sometimes good for off-trail cross-country skiing, but the park closes during the heaviest snowfalls. Since the closing of the crater area to motorized vehicles in 2008, visitors now drive to a point outside the crater which has a gate, café and shelter. From there one can walk 6 km on the relatively flat road or 2 km on the steeper Paso de Quetzal. Because most who visit the top of the volcano are not accustomed to the cold, the park provides emergency shelters in most parts of the park as well as patrols. Visitors must leave the crater area at 5pm to descend before dark.
caption: 360° panoramic view from crater rim of Nevado Toluca, 120 km to the east the Popocatépetl rises out of the clouds
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