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All Mexico Huasca de Ocampo Los Prismas Basálticos Waterfalls

Los Prismas Basálticos Waterfalls

Two waterfalls flow down the cliff faces decorated with rare natural basalt columns.

Huasca de Ocampo, Mexico

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ser flac
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  Diego Delso/CC BY-SA 3.0
  Diego Delso/CC BY-SA 3.0
  Diego Delso/CC BY-SA 3.0
  Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Silvana Torres/CC BY-SA 4.0
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Typical rainbow formed in the mist of the waterfalls   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The Basaltic Prisms of Huasca de Ocampo, Hidalgo were formed millions of years ago by the slow cooling of volcanic lava and average between 30 and 50 meters in height. Rock column formations like these are very rare, but can be seen in a few other places in the world including the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, the Devil's Postpile in California, and Fingal's Cave in Scotland.

Located in a section of the Alcholoya Canyon, what sets Los Prismas apart from the other similar formations are the various waterfalls that fall down their six and five-sided prismatic walls.  The prisms were first brought to international attention by renowned Prussian explorer Alexander von Humboldt, who visited and illustrated them during his tour of Mexico in 1803. Other European travelers like François Mathurin Adalbert, Johann Moritz Rugendas, William Henry Bishop and Hubert H. Bancroft would visit the site through the 19th-century. In 2007, the country's Council for Touristic Promotion included the Prisms in their list of Thirteen Natural Wonders of Mexico.

 

Related Tags

Geological Oddities Waterfalls Volcanoes Rock Formations Geology Water

Know Before You Go

Opening times for the reserve where the Prismas are located are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.

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Community Contributors

Added By

serflac

Edited By

linkogecko, Michelle Cassidy

  • linkogecko
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

September 20, 2011

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huasca_de_Ocampo
  • http://wagamamawonderings.blogspot.com/2009/08/huasca-de-ocampo.html
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_von_Humboldt
  • http://geo-mexico.com/?p=2453
  • https://escapadafindesemana.org/que-ver/mexico/prismas-basalticos-hidalgo/
  • https://www.turismomexico.es/espacios-naturales-de-mexico/prismas-basalticos-huasca-ocampo/
Los Prismas Basálticos Waterfalls
Huasca de Ocampo, 43500
Mexico
20.234023, -98.562513
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Bosque de las Truchas (Forest of the Trouts)

San Miguel Regla, Mexico

miles away

Panteón Inglés

Mineral del Monte, Mexico

miles away

Monumento al Burro (Monument to the Donkey)

Pachuca de Soto, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mexico

Mexico

North America

Places 606
Stories 61

Nearby Places

Bosque de las Truchas (Forest of the Trouts)

San Miguel Regla, Mexico

miles away

Panteón Inglés

Mineral del Monte, Mexico

miles away

Monumento al Burro (Monument to the Donkey)

Pachuca de Soto, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mexico

Mexico

North America

Places 606
Stories 61

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