Colima’s Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) has been relatively dormant for several years, but a few weeks ago local residents were reminded of the fact that they are living next to a time bomb.
“On January 29 at 4 a.m., I was awoken by a very loud boom and a strong quake that shook my house and everything in it,” said Pepe, lonely guardian of a locked gate 630 meters north of Yerbabuena, the closest point to the volcano authorities will allow you to reach.
“All that day and night lava poured out of the crater and down the sides of the volcano, lighting up the sky,” he continued. “It was una escena espectacular.”
That same spectacular sight was what I had hoped to see the night before I met Pepe, as I walked in pitch-black darkness along a cobblestone road heading straight for the volcano from La María Crater Lake. My camping buddies Mario and Hugo and I were laden with cameras and tripods, eyes peeled for a bright stream of lava in the distance, ears sharp for a throaty rumble from the 3,820-meter-high volcano, located 125 kilometers south of Guadalajara. So intent were we on volcano watching that we walked right into a cow.
I hope the cow forgave us, but in the end all our efforts were in vain, as the unpredictable volcano produced neither sound nor fury nor even a dribble of lava. In another sense, however, we were successful, as we found two marvelous Fuego-viewing sites where you can see this imposing volcano in all its glory, close up, but at the same time safe from possible lava flows.
You may have already read about the beauty and bizarre legends of Laguna La María in my book “Outdoors in Western Mexico.” Well, the route to get there is now faster and easier than ever and well paved all the way (see below). As for Pepe’s post, it’s just over five kilometers from La María and offers an amazing view of the ever-smoldering volcano. By the way, en route to Pepe, along a lonely stretch where you would not expect to see a living human being, we came upon a wide platform where lots of coffee beans were drying in the sun. Behind it there’s a rustic “coffee bar” where you can taste Café La Yerbabuena, which a local family is growing, roasting and packaging. It turned out to be so delicious we all decided to buy a bag. Half a kilo costs only 60 pesos. By the way, it seems folks in this part of Colima have been growing coffee beans for a very long time. Perhaps the altitude (about 1,500 meters) and no doubt an occasional sprinkle of volcanic ash improves the flavor as well.
On my way back from La María, I stopped at Carrizalillo, a small laguna with a perfect view of the volcano. Here you can inexpensively rent a cabin, pitch a tent or stay in a hotel and they have a restaurant, too. To my amazement, they told me they don’t allow loud music and have even banned all-terrain vehicles because they’re too noisy. Go there on a weekday and you’ll have most of the place to yourself (carrizalillo.localizanet.com). Here you can literally watch the Fire Volcano through your tent door as you sip a cup of fine Yerbabuena java.
How to get there
Take Highway 54 from the Guadalajara Periferico (beltway) and follow the signs for the Colima toll road (cuota) for 153 kilometers until you see the La Esperanza/Tonila exit sign, which comes five kilometers past the second toll booth. Exit and drive to Queseria. Two kilometers past Queseria, near an LP Gas plant called La Gasera, look for a sign saying Naranjal and turn right. Now drive 2.2 kilometers north and turn left onto the road to La Maria and Carrizalillo. After 13 kilometers you will come to Carrizalillo (N19 24.935 W103 40.455). Follow the signs for La Maria (N19 27.483 W103 42.341) for another 11.7 kilometers. Want to visit Pepe’s Gate for the best view of the volcano? From La Maria drive 3 kilometers northeast, turn right onto a dirt road, and follow it for 2.2 kilometers, stopping along the way, of course, at the Café Yerbabuena “Starbucks.” The driving time from Guadalajara to La María is shorter now, just over two hours.