A sleeping volcano forms the “Laguna Río Cuarto”; a wonderful site worth visiting for its ecological wealth and biodiversity that abounds in the area. It is also a geological treasure sculpted by ‘Mother Nature’ throughout thousands of years.
Information from the National Seismological Network of the University of Costa Rica (RSN-UCR-ICE) indicates that the Río Cuarto Lagoon has an area of 33 hectares and its maximum depth is about 66 meters; that is why it is considered the “deepest natural lagoon” of Costa Rica.
To the west of the lagoon, a flat-undulating morphology is observed. In fact, its walls are formed by blocks of volcanic origin material (lava), being fed by small waterfalls that slide along the walls of the lake.
This paradise, a dream site, reflects green and, sometimes, with reddish tones over the water surface. It is located 1 kilometer away northwest of the center of Río Cuarto.
To get there, you enter through a stone path, where you can reach the lakeshore by car. From a comforting sight point, you can watch how the blue sky clouds are reflected in its green waters.
The hidden volcano
Located 400 meters above sea level, it forms the walls of the lagoon, which is consisting of sub-angular lava blocks and boulders in a silt-clay matrix. According to geologists, there is no significant or obvious secondary activity, so it is essentially a sleeping volcano.
Except for the changes in the color of its waters, towards reddish tones, an open topic is still under discussion whether it is a volcanic activity or a limnological-climatological phenomenon.
