Boiling Lake

📍 Dominica
lake
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About

The world's second-largest hot spring, this mystical lake sits in a volcanic crater surrounded by dense rainforest in Morne Trois Pitons World Heritage site. The challenging 6-hour round-trip hike through the Valley of Desolation rewards adventurers with the extraordinary sight of a 200-foot-wide lake that literally boils from geothermal activity below. Steam rises dramatically from the grayish-blue waters, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that epitomizes Dominica's volcanic power.

Boiling Lake lies in Dominica, in the Caribbean, within the Morne Trois Pitons World Heritage site. It sits inside a volcanic crater ringed by dense rainforest, and reaching it is part of the experience.

The hike

The route is a challenging round trip of about six hours. It passes through the Valley of Desolation, a landscape shaped by volcanic activity, and the walk is demanding enough that it suits visitors who are comfortable with long, steady hiking over rough ground.

What you see

At the end of the trail, the lake comes into view. It is roughly 200 feet across and is the world's second-largest hot spring, its surface kept in motion by geothermal heat rising from below. Steam drifts up from the grayish-blue water, and the setting of the crater and forest around it gives the place a distinctly otherworldly feel.

Planning a visit

  • Allow most of a day for the round-trip hike.

  • Wear sturdy footwear and bring water and supplies for the walk.

  • Expect a physically demanding outing rather than an easy stroll.

For visitors who enjoy wild landscapes and volcanic terrain, Boiling Lake offers a memorable outdoor excursion, and the rainforest and World Heritage setting of the wider Morne Trois Pitons area add to the reasons to make the trip.