Top Eleven Volcanoes in the Caribbean You Can Hike

Are there Active Volcanoes in the Caribbean?

Yes — the Caribbean has more than a dozen volcanoes, strung along the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc from Saba to Grenada. Several remain active: Soufrière Hills (Montserrat), La Soufrière (St. Vincent) — which erupted in 2021 — La Grande Soufrière (Guadeloupe), Mont Pelée (Martinique), and the submarine Kick ’em Jenny (Grenada). The inner-arc islands (St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent) are volcanic; the flat outer islands (Antigua, Anguilla, Barbados) are coral and limestone.

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The Caribbean is famous for turquoise water and white-sand beaches, but its volcanic origins are equally impressive. From towering mountain peaks and boiling lakes to active volcanic craters and even a submarine volcano, these Caribbean volcanoes offer some of the region’s most dramatic landscapes and fascinating natural history.

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The Caribbean is best known for its beaches, but look inland and you’ll find some of the world’s most dramatic volcanic landscapes. There are active volcanoes in the Caribbean that scientists still monitor daily — and many of them you can hike, climb, or even drive through. From smoking peaks on Montserrat to a live submarine volcano north of Grenada, here are 10 Caribbean volcanoes worth exploring.

A push and pull struggle between the Earth’s South American and Caribbean plates, plus volcanic activity, created the land and sea of the Caribbean over 50 million years ago. Today, volcanoes continue to play a tangible role in the region. For example, there are those that erupt, like Chance’s Peak in Montserrat in 1994. Then, there are volcanoes that may erupt any time like the undersea Kick ‘em Jenny north of Grenada. Finally, there are those that are dormant now, like Mount Scenery in Saba, and make a great place to explore.

Caribbean Volcanoes at a Glance

Island	Volcano	Status	Last eruption	Can you hike it?
St. Vincent	La Soufrière	Active — most active in the region	2021	Yes, when calm
Montserrat	Soufrière Hills (Chances Peak)	Active	1995–2010	Partly — exclusion zone
Grenada	Kick ’em Jenny	Active — submarine	2017	No — it’s underwater
Martinique	Mont Pelée	Active	1929–32 (deadly 1902)	Yes
St. Lucia	Sulphur Springs	Active — geothermal	~1766	Yes — the “drive-in volcano”
Dominica	Boiling Lake	Active — fumarole	—	Yes — Valley of Desolation trek
Trinidad	Digity Mud Volcano	Active — mud volcano	Periodic	Yes — easy
Saba	Mount Scenery	Dormant	1640	Yes — 1,064 steps
St. Kitts	Mount Liamuiga	Dormant	Prehistoric	Yes — strenuous (~5 hrs)
Nevis	Nevis Peak	Dormant (potentially active)	Prehistoric	Yes — steep

Here are 11 Caribbean volcanoes you can hike, climb, or explore:

1. Mount Scenery Volcano, Saba

The top of this mount, located at an elevation of 2,910ft, is an ancient lava dome of what is still a potentially active volcano. Those who don’t want to take the 1064 stone-carved steps to the cloud-shrouded peak can watch the video, ‘Hike to the Clouds of Mt Scenery’ at the Dutch Museum in Windwardside. In addition, the artifact collection here dates to 1600. The last eruption of Mount Scenery was 1640.

Grenada’s Underwater Volcano Kick ‘em Jenny Stirs

2. Mount Liamuiga. St. Kitts

Hiking to the top of this dormant 3792ft volcano is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a strenuous walk through jungle, but the panoramic view from the top is rewarding. The mountain’s Carib Indian name, Liamuiga, means ‘fertile land’ and this is certainly visible from all the lush greenery on the way up as well as seas of leafy green visible from the peak. A round-trip hike takes about five hours.

3. Nevis Peak, Nevis

It’s possible to hike this 3,232ft peak, but stamina and a lack of a fear of heights are top prerequisites. It also takes courage as this is a potentially active volcano, though there have been no eruptions for thousands of years. Perhaps the best way to appreciate this volcano is looking up at it from the Pinney’s Beach with a Killer Bee rum punch in hand from Sunshine’s Beach Bar.

Kick ‘Em Jenny: Grenada’s Underwater Volcano

4. Chances Peak, Montserrat

Plymouth, the island’s former capitol and much of the surrounding southern areas, have become an Exclusion Zone to visitors ever since the Soufriere Hills volcano culminating at Chances Peak blew in 1995. Recently, relative dormancy has led the government to open part of the area to occasional tour groups. Take one of these tours while visiting the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. Inside, scientists actively monitor the volcano while visitors can watch a short film about the eruption two decades ago.

5. Boiling Lake, Dominica

Check out the little ‘lake’ in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, where steamy clouds cap the bubbling 180° to 200°F bluish-gray water. This lake, a little over an acre, is actually a flooded fumarole, or crack in the earth’s surface where gas escapes from the molten lava underneath. It’s possible to trek to the Boiling Lake from the town of Laudat. Leave early; the round-trip easily takes six to eight hours of hiking.

Also see: Destination Dominica – What to See and Do

6. Mount Pelee, Martinique

Famous for its 1902 eruption that destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre, this volcano is currently quiet though it still registers seismic activity and is under the watchful eye of the island’s volcanic observatory. There’s a well-marked and signed trail that leads up to the 4577ft peak, where it’s possible to enjoy a panoramic view from the volcanic cones if the clouds haven’t rolled in. Down in Saint-Pierre, visit the one-room Musee Vulcanologigue to learn more about the 1902 event.

7. Sulfur Springs, St. Lucia

It’s easy to visit this island’s volcano. After all, the Soufriere volcano, located 24 miles south of the capital of Castries, is famous for being the only ‘drive-in’ volcano in the world. That’s because there is a road that goes up to and through the volcano’s crater. It’s possible to take a tour and get out and walk in this alien-looking landscape. Hold your nose! The sulfur smell of rotten eggs is strong.

8. Kick ‘em Jenny, Grenada

The only ‘live’ submarine volcano in the Eastern Caribbean showed recent signs of life in July 2015 when scientists picked up two strong seismic signals. Located five miles north of Grenada (12.18°N, 61.38°W), it’s an area restricted for marine traffic by one- to three-miles depending on the potential for eruptive activity. However, it’s possible to hear percussion sounds from the volcano when scuba diving off nearby locations like Grenada’s Ronde Island.

9. Digity Mud Volcano, Trinidad

Mud volcanoes aren’t true volcanoes, but they sure look like the real deal only smaller. There are over a dozen mud volcanoes in Trinidad. Digity, located on the southern side of the island, is 20ft high and frequently belches gas. There is a well-worn path around the cone from frequent visitors. Local legend tells that the mud makes a great rejuvenating facial mask.

10. Hooiberg (aka The Haystack), Aruba

NOTE: There is some dispute as to whether this one is actually volcanic… With that said, let’s proceed. The name of this volcanic formation that rises to 541ft above sea level translates to ‘haystack’, which the structure surely resembles since it’s covered with spiky cactus and bushy divi-divi trees. The government built steps to the top, from which there is a great view of the mostly flat landscape below all the way out to the sea. Hooiberg’s popularity is evident by its depiction on the Aruban Coat of Arms.

11. La Soufrière, St. Vincent — the Caribbean’s Most Active Volcano

At 4,049ft, La Soufrière is the highest point on St. Vincent — and the most active volcano in the Eastern Caribbean. It has erupted at least five times in recorded history, including the catastrophic 1902 eruption that killed some 1,600 people just hours before Mont Pelée destroyed Saint-Pierre on neighboring Martinique. A lava dome built in its crater lake in 1971–72, an explosive eruption followed in 1979, and most recently, in April 2021, a series of explosive blasts blanketed the island in ash and forced around 20,000 people from their homes.

When the mountain is quiet, it’s also one of the region’s great climbs. Two trails reach the mile-wide summit crater: the gentler windward route up through the Bamboo Range on the island’s eastern side, and the steeper, more direct leeward trail from the west. Either way it’s a strenuous two-to-three-hour ascent, often through cloud, to a crater rim that’s been reshaped by every eruption. Because volcanic activity can close the trails with little notice, hike with a local guide and check current advisories with the UWI Seismic Research Centre before you go.

Frequently Asked Questions About Caribbean Volcanoes

Are there active volcanoes in the Caribbean?

Yes. Several volcanoes in the Caribbean remain active or potentially active, including:

• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
• La Soufrière, St. Vincent
• La Grande Soufrière, Guadeloupe
• Mont Pelée, Martinique
• Kick ’em Jenny, Grenada

These volcanoes are continuously monitored by scientists.

Which Caribbean volcano erupted most recently?

La Soufrière erupted in 2021, producing ash plumes and volcanic activity that affected much of St. Vincent.

What is Kick ’em Jenny?

Kick ’em Jenny is the Caribbean’s only active submarine volcano. Located north of Grenada, it remains closely monitored due to its ongoing seismic activity.

Can you hike Caribbean volcanoes?

Yes. Many Caribbean volcanoes feature hiking trails, including:

• Mount Scenery
• Mount Liamuiga
• Nevis Peak
• Mount Pelée

Trail difficulty ranges from moderate walks to strenuous full-day hikes.

What is the famous drive-in volcano?

Sulphur Springs is often called the world’s only drive-in volcano because visitors can drive directly into the volcanic crater area.

What happened at Mount Pelée?

In 1902, Mount Pelée erupted and destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre, killing nearly 30,000 people in one of the deadliest volcanic disasters in modern history.

Can you visit the volcano on Montserrat?

Yes. While much of the southern portion of Montserrat remains restricted, visitors can tour parts of the exclusion zone and learn about the eruption at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

What is Boiling Lake in Dominica?

Boiling Lake is a flooded volcanic fumarole located within Morne Trois Pitons National Park. It is one of the largest boiling lakes in the world and can be reached by a challenging hike.

Are all Caribbean islands volcanic?

No. The inner arc islands of the Lesser Antilles are largely volcanic, while many outer islands are primarily coral and limestone formations.

Examples of volcanic islands include:

• St. Kitts
• Nevis
• Montserrat
• Dominica
• Martinique
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent

Examples of non-volcanic islands include:

• Antigua
• Anguilla
• Barbados

Which Caribbean volcano is easiest to visit?

For most travelers, Sulphur Springs in St. Lucia is the easiest volcano to experience because it is accessible by road and offers guided tours through the volcanic area.

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What This Means

The Caribbean’s volcanoes are not just geological curiosities.

• They created many of the islands sailors visit today
• Several remain active and closely monitored
• Many can be safely explored by visitors
• They offer some of the Caribbean’s most dramatic scenery

Beyond the beaches lies another Caribbean—one shaped by fire, tectonic forces, and millions of years of volcanic activity.

Carol Bareuther has written for ALL AT SEA since 2004.