As of today, in season now. Earth Exhibit tracks the live conditions and flags it the moment it is on.
Deep in Dominica's Morne Trois Pitons National Park lies the second-largest boiling lake on Earth — a flooded fumarole roughly 60 metres across whose greyish-blue water churns and bubbles, wrapped in a constant cloud of vapour.
It is a vent in the Earth's crust: gases and heat rising from magma below keep the water near boiling, with the centre actively roiling and the edges measured at over 80°C.
Reaching it is a serious undertaking — a roughly 6-8 hour return hike from Titou Gorge near Laudat, crossing the Valley of Desolation, a steaming moonscape of hissing fumaroles, bubbling mud pots, and ground stained yellow and orange with sulphur and iron.
A licensed guide is legally required.
The lake is essentially always active, though on rare occasions over the decades its level and boiling have dropped for months during shifts in the geothermal plumbing before returning.
It sits within a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Where to see it
A taste of where to see it. The full map, exact coordinates and the best timing for each spot live in the app.
| Viewing spots |
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| Boiling Lake |
| Valley of Desolation |
| + 1 more spot, with exact coordinates and timing, in the app → |
This is the short version
This page shows a taste. The app has the full list of where to see this, the exact timing, and live conditions for 1,000+ natural phenomena worldwide, so you know the moment one is genuinely worth the trip.