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    Cone of the Paricutín volcano above dark green brush, Volcán Paricutín, Michoacán

    Photo by Karla Yannín Alcázar Quintero (photographer), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Horse guides and visitors with the Paricutín volcano behind, Volcán Paricutín, Michoacán

    Photo by José Luis Melgarejo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Paricutín volcano and its fields of cooled black lava, Volcán Paricutín, Michoacán

    Photo by ben_kitchener3, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Pines growing on the black lava field near Paricutín, Volcán Paricutín, Michoacán

    Photo by LBM1948, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Paricutín volcano peak above the forest, Volcán Paricutín, Michoacán

    Photo by LBM1948, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Volcán Paricutín

    Mountain Michoacán Municipality of Uruapan Meseta Purépecha

    The volcano that rose from a cornfield in 1943: ride or hike across the lava from Angahuan to its still-steaming crater.

    From Uruapan: 1 h by car (49 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

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    Plan your visit to Volcán Paricutín

    Where to stay near Volcán Paricutín

    Paracho, 27 km away, is the closest town with places to stay.

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Volcán Paricutín.

    Hotels in Paracho Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Volcán Paricutín

    Day trips and guided outings from Paracho often include Volcán Paricutín; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide Tours from Paracho

    How to get to Volcán Paricutín

    • From Uruapan: about 1 h by road (~49 km)
    • 27 km southwest of Paracho
    • Nearest airport: Uruapan (UPN), 42 min by car to Paracho
    Rent a car at UPN Flights to UPN

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    About Volcán Paricutín

    On the afternoon of February 20, 1943, a farmer named Dionisio Pulido watched the ground split open in his cornfield near the village of Parangaricutiro. Within a day a cone of ash stood about 30 meters high; by the end of the first year it was more than 300. Paricutín kept erupting for nine years, until 1952, and for a long time was known as the world's youngest volcano.

    Scientists from around the world came to watch, and it became the first eruption of its kind documented from birth to end. Its lava buried two villages, Paricutín and San Juan Parangaricutiro, whose people were evacuated and resettled. The cone rose 424 meters above the original fields, though only about 220 meters now stand above the lava that piled around its base. The crater is about 250 meters across, and steam still seeps from the rim.

    Today the volcano is quiet and one of the great adventures of the Purépecha highlands. From the village of Angahuan, local guides lead you on horseback or on foot across black lava and ash to the base of the cone, then up its loose slopes to walk around the crater, with Pico de Tancítaro rising behind.

    How to get to Volcán Paricutín

    Drive from Uruapan: 1 h, 49 km

    Drive south from Paracho on Highway 37 toward Uruapan and, just past Capácuaro, take the paved road west to Angahuan (about 19 kilometers); the whole drive is roughly 45 minutes. In Angahuan, guides and horses are hired at the tourist center or in the village; the volcano cannot be reached by road.

    27 km southwest of Paracho

    Directions from Paracho on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Best with a guide Tours to Volcán Paricutín on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Volcán Paricutín

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Volcán Paricutín: hours, prices and tips

    Entry
    No entrance fee; you only pay for a horse and guide if you hire one. Nomads Beyond · checked Oct 2026
    Time needed
    A full day: the horseback trip takes about 6 hours round trip, including the final climb on foot. Lonely Planet · checked Oct 2026
    Best time of day
    Leave Angahuan before 9 am; it is a long day and the last climb up the black sand gets hot. Lonely Planet · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    Horse-and-guide trips are arranged on the roadside in Angahuan, about 600 pesos per person (bargaining possible). Hikers can go alone, but the forest trail is easy to lose, so a guide helps. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide Nomads Beyond · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Plenty of water and sturdy shoes; the final climb to the crater is always on foot over loose sand. Lonely Planet · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Volcán Paricutín: what to see and do

    Ride or hike with a local guide from Angahuan across the lava field to the base of the cone, about 11 kilometers and three hours on horseback.
    Climb the loose cinder slope (30 to 60 minutes) and walk around the crater rim, where steam still rises.
    Stop at the lava-buried church of San Juan Parangaricutiro on the way back.
    Start early, bring a jacket and sun protection, and plan on a full day; the summit is about 2,800 meters high and windy.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Volcán Paricutín

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Volcán Paricutín.

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Paracho often include Volcán Paricutín; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at UPN (Uruapan): about 42 min by road to Paracho, then 27 km more to Volcán Paricutín, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Uruapan (UPN), about 42 min by road from Paracho, the base for Volcán Paricutín.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on hiking at altitude at Volcán Paricutín, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Paracho: download a map of the way to Volcán Paricutín before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    Photos

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    When to go to Volcán Paricutín cool

    Volcán Paricutín shares the climate of Paracho, 27 km away. The best months to visit are January, March, April, and November.

    For the clearest views from Volcán Paricutín, go in the driest months (January, March, April, and November); in the rains, clouds tend to build up by midday.

    See the month-by-month climate of Paracho

    Make Paracho your base

    Crowd of guitarists gathered for a record attempt below a mountain, Paracho, Michoacán cool
    Michoacán Paracho

    Volcán Paricutín is an easy trip from Paracho, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Volcán Paricutín

    All 12 towns and sights around Paracho →

    Near Volcán Paricutín

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Something wrong or missing on this page? Suggest a fix or addition

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.