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Morne Trois Pitons National Park

Also known as Mountains of Three Peaks, this island treasure is located within five miles of the sea in the south-central interior of the island. The park covers nearly 17,000 acres and is named for the mountain it contains, the second-highest on the island at 4,600 feet. The first of Dominica's National Parks, Morne Trois Pitons was established by Parliament in July 1975. In 1998, it was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site - the first enlisted Natural Site in the Eastern Caribbean.

Dramatic examples of active volcanism occur within the park. In the Valley of Desolation there are more than fifty fumaroles and hot springs, indicating that rocks of high temperature lie just beneath the surface. The constant emission of steam and sulphurous gases here has produced a barren landscape that contrasts sharply with the lush vegetation of the rest of the island.

The major park attraction is Boiling Lake, a cauldron of bubbling greyish-blue water usually enveloped in a cloud of vapor. It's approximately 200 feet across and its depth can't be measured because of the intense heat. Believed to be a flooded fumarole (a crack through which gases escape from the molten lava below), Boiling Lake is a basin that collects the rainfall from the surrounding hills and from small streams that empty into it. The water seeps through the lake's porous bottom to the hot lava below where it heats to boiling point.

At an altitude of 2,850 feet, Boeri Lake is the highest lake in Dominica. Located on the slopes of Morne Micotrin, one of the three peaks in the park, this crater lake is almost circular in shape. It has a depth of at least 117 ft. and a surface area of approximately 4.5 acres. The trail to the lake affords some spectacular views as far as the Atlantic coast and takes you through a forest dominated by tree ferns and cabbage palms. Boeri Lake features in several Carib myths and reputedly houses a Loch Ness-like monster.

Titou Gorge is a charming spot at the start of the hike to Boiling Lake: a small waterfall deep in a water-filled gorge ('ti tou' means 'little-throat' in Creole). Trafalgar Falls are twin waterfalls found a short, pleasant walk from the Morne Trois Pitons Visitors Center. More intrepid hikers can continue on to swim in the refreshing waters of the smaller waterfall or find the hot springs of the tallest fall.