Landmark· Isla Tortuga· Mexico

Isla Tortuga Volcanic Crater

27° 26.7′ N · 111° 52.8′ W

A young shield volcano rising alone 40 km offshore, with a 1-km-wide, 100-m-deep caldera — and home to the endemic Tortuga Island rattlesnake, abundant everywhere except inside the crater.

Practical

Uninhabited, about 11 km² and part of the Gulf of California islands protected area; going ashore on most Gulf islands requires a CONANP permit. No sheltered anchorage is described in the sources — landing is weather-dependent and only in settled conditions; plan a day stop. Rattlesnakes are extremely common: boots, long trousers, watch every step. Pelicans and boobies nest on the slopes.

Best for

A bucket-list volcano for well-prepared, weather-wise crews

Season

Settled weather only

Nearby