Arenal Volcano’s Cone, La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Arenal Volcano rises to 1,633 meters near the town of La Fortuna in north-central Costa Rica. A stratovolcano formed by the collision of the Cocos and Caribbean tectonic plates, it began a major eruptive period in 1968 after centuries of dormancy, burying three villages and killing dozens of residents. Nearly continuous activity followed for more than four decades, making it one of the most closely monitored volcanoes in Central America, until eruptions ceased in 2010. The surrounding land was designated Arenal Volcano National Park in 1991, protecting habitat for tapirs, pumas, and more than 850 recorded bird species. Its symmetrical cone, formed from layered ash and lava flows, remains a defining landmark of the Arenal region.

Photo taken in February 2019.