Tequila Volcano
The volcano of Tequila Jalisco is located within the volcanic Neo Axis that crosses Mexico.
It governs the valley area of the state with its distinctive figure of an impressive mountain with a large crater on the top, the center of the crater highlights a ¨Chichón¨ or nipple. The settlers who live in the valley see different angles of this mountain, is located in the towns of Tala, Teuchitlan, Ameca, Amatitan, Arenal among others but mainly its silhouette can be distinguished from most of the city of Guadalajara.
When venturing into the volcano you can see several types of climatic vegetation of the state of Jalisco and some endemic species characteristic of the Mesophilic Mountain Forest. At the beginning of the climb, on the slopes of the volcano, there is a great variety of agaves and sabilas also native to this place. The elevation of the Valley is 1250 meters above sea level giving rise to a neo-tropical climate while the volcano rises some 1500 meters more.
The different elevations of the Tequila volcano allow a great variety of micro climates, and therefore a high diversity of flora and fauna. The most common vegetation is the oak forest (Quercus), with different species. There are other types of vegetation, some exclusive to this mountain; For example, in the needle and crater there is a type of cedar forest, unique in Jalisco for the species that occurs. At the top of the mountain is the mesophyll mountain forest, or cloudy forest, where we can find Juniperos and magnolias, which were the first trees with flowers that existed at the beginning of our era.
This volcano has been a silent witness of economic activity that has allowed Jalisco to position itself on the tourist map. Thanks to tequila, the iconic drink of Mexico, the production of this small city has an excellent acceptance in both the national and international markets. At the same time the agave fields conformed the beautiful agave landscape, which at the moment is considered as “World Heritage” by UNESCO, by the orography that surrounds the landscape from the Tequila Volcano, its tequila houses, places archaeological sites, up to the impressive Barranca de Río Grande-Santiago.
The Volcano of Tequila a place that brings us closer to God
From the beginnings of man the great mountains were considered as places of worship to the supernatural, sacred. It reminds us of Mount Fugiyama or the Himalayas. The civilizations of the West of Mexico established in the skirts of this volcano more than 32 cities being populated by near 40 thousand inhabitants already in the times of Jesus Christ. In the Mesoamerican culture three vertical levels of the world were recognized: the underworld, the terrestrial and the celestial. Those levels are present in the volcano. The underworld with its magmatic chamber, the terrestrial with the volcanic soils and what grows on it, and the celestial on the top of the mountain.
From its crater originated the rivers of lava that flowed to the skirts where its current cooled rapidly forming the obsidian, volcanic glass very precious in antiquity. Obsidian was used for the production of arrowheads, knives, knives, and different instruments for hunting, agriculture, and even for kitchen uses. These sharp instruments formed the first export industry in the region as it was marketed in Mesoamerican markets as a barter. It is believed that it was at that time when the visitor was warned to the region ¨Tequila¨ what can be translated as a place where you cut, due precisely to the proliferation of workshops of production of obsidian that left abundant residues of sharp obsidian flakes as waste.
Tequila Volcano
While most tourists come to Tequila to try the famous drink, few are those who come to the top of this volcano, whose silhouette, with its distinctive nipple, dominates the horizon.
Along the way you can contemplate the changes in the vegetation as you go up from altitude, to be at the top with the famous dwarf oaks, with its branches covered with a gray lichen. And it is always cold here, even in summer; When Tequila is too hot, up in the volcano, a jacket is recommended because the wind factor makes temperatures close to 0 ° Celsius.
In the center of the forest there is a curious monolith, which in reality is a column of hardened lava product of the last eruption of the volcano, and that was later pushed up by the geological pressure. Although many love to walk around the edge and inside the crater, climbers can not resist the temptation to climb it and contemplate from its walls the beautiful views of the surroundings.
The upper profile of the Tequila Volcano is known by the inhabitants as La Tetilla, a volcanic rock of 50 meters. high, which crowns the entire landscape, where you can also find exotic varieties of orchids of bright colors.
El Mirador over the Santiago River Canyon and Sierra del Salvador. It has 18 kilometers with cobbled road to the tip of the hill, from where you can see a natural panorama with semitropical vegetation, fauna and walls of basaltic rock.
In this volcano of Tequila you can practice mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking and camping at any time of the year.
If you visit this area and want to know part of the natural and cultural heritage of Guadalajara in the State of Jalisco in a region that has several elements in common. It is a region of volcanoes and obsidian; of circular pre-Hispanic constructions and shooting tombs; of origin and manufacture of the national drink: tequila; It is part of biological and cultural corridors of Mesoamerica. We invite you to discover the relationship between these elements during the journey.
Among the most recognized volcanoes in Mexico by many of us are: Popocatépetl (seen from Mexico, Puebla and Morelos at 5500 masl), Paricutín (seen from Michoacán at 2800 masl) and Citlaltépetl (seen from Veracruz and Puebla with 5747 msnm). But did you know that in Jalisco there is an inactive stratovolcano about three thousand meters above sea level?
Yes! And it’s in Tequila (magical town of Jalisco), where you can see a beautiful agave landscape -at present it is considered a “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO-, by the orography surrounding the Volcano to the impressive Barranca from Rio Grande-Santiago.
While most tourists who come to Tequila not only do so to try the famous drink, well, although few are those who come to the top of this volcano, whose silhouette, with its distinctive nipple, dominates the horizon -, they marvel at its rich mountain fauna. It is believed that about 22 thousand years ago it made its last eruption.
Another fact that makes this place an attractive place is the possibility of practicing the sky-diving in full crater, which has a climate of satisfactory temperatures, because, although in Tequila it is too hot, up in the volcano you need a jacket. In addition to mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking and camping at any time of the year.
To get to the Tequila volcano, take Highway 15 west of Guadalajara and travel a total of 58 kilometers. The road that takes us to the top of the volcano is the N-20, at the southern end of the city of Tequila.
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