Discovering the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve

The Pinacate Biosphere Reserve is located in the Sonoran Desert in northwestern Mexico, near the US border. It is an area of great ecological and geological importance, and has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2013.

The reserve covers an area of over 714,000 hectares and is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, many of which are unique to the region. It is also an important site for geological research, with some of the most unique and well-preserved volcanic landscapes in the world.

Exploring the Reserve

Visitors to the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve have a range of activities to choose from, including hiking, camping, and birdwatching. The reserve also offers guided tours, which are a great way to learn more about the area and its unique features.

One of the most popular attractions in the reserve is the Gran Desierto de Altar, a massive sand dune field that stretches for miles. Visitors can take a guided tour of the dunes, which includes stops at several unique geological formations, such as the El Elegante crater and the Siamese Twin craters.

Another popular activity in the reserve is stargazing. Due to its remote location and lack of light pollution, the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve is an excellent place to observe the night sky. Visitors can take a guided tour of the reserve at night, which includes a telescope and a knowledgeable guide who can help identify the various constellations.

Preserving the Reserve

The Pinacate Biosphere Reserve is an important ecological and geological site, and it is essential that it is preserved for future generations to enjoy. To this end, the reserve has implemented a number of conservation programs aimed at protecting the unique plant and animal species that call it home.

One of the most important conservation programs in the reserve is the protection of the Sonoran Pronghorn, an endangered species of antelope that is found only in the Sonoran Desert. The reserve is also home to a number of other endangered species, including the Desert Bighorn Sheep and the Mexican Gray Wolf.

The Pinacate Biosphere Reserve is a unique and beautiful area that is well worth visiting. Whether you are interested in hiking, camping, birdwatching, or simply enjoying the natural beauty of the desert, the reserve has something for everyone. By taking steps to protect this important ecological and geological site, we can ensure that it remains a source of wonder and inspiration for generations to come.

Walk over lava flows, volcanic ash, crater rims of volcanic origin, and climb a cinder cone.

The reserve inhabits a large number of species that have adapted to extreme climates; summers with more than 40º C and winters with temperatures less than 0º. Mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and even fish live in this delicate ecosystem as a result of violent volcanic events.

A great wealth of plant species fills the great variety of landscapes that make up this reserve with life. In the fine sand of the dunes or among the lava flows, these extraordinary plants emerge in spring, filling the reserve with color.

If you’re a fan of photography, the reserve is the perfect place to get those shots you’ve always wanted. Imposing landscapes, unique flora and fauna and the perfect place to photograph starry nights.

Cerro Colorado tuff cone is one of the most prominent features of the Pinacate volcanic field in Mexico. This aerial oblique view from the NW shows the 1-km-wide crater with the highest point on the S rim. Tuff beds that compose the S rim dip inward up to 20-25 degrees. Cerro Colorado’s crater was formed during several episodes of phreatomagmatic eruptions from multiple vents, during which portions of the tuff cone slumped into the crater.

Cráter Elegante, seen here in an aerial oblique view from the NW, is a 1.6-km-wide maar in the Pinacate volcanic field. Within the crater walls are exposed basaltic lava flows, sills, and dikes pre-dating formation of the maar, which are overlain by pyroclastic surge deposits that cover the rim and outer flanks. Lake beds within the maar have been radiocarbon dated at between about 13,000 and 17,000 years, indicating a late-Pleistocene age for the maar-forming eruptions.