The green crater
Deep walls below the rim.
Arne Müseler — CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jose Huwaidi — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arne Müseler — CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Sammiethedeadrat — CC BY-SA 3.0
El Boquerón National Park sits at the top of San Salvador Volcano, looking straight down on the capital. Its wide crater is deep and green with a small cone on its floor. It is the easiest nature trip from the city, much cooler than the streets below, with broad views over mountains and valleys. The volcano is also known as Quezaltepeque, and its old crater has been nearly filled by a newer edifice, Boquerón. Its highest peak, El Picacho, stands at 1,960 metres. Six eruptions have been recorded since AD 600, the latest on 7 June 1917. The western part of the city lies on its slopes, so any activity matters to it, and TV and radio antennas stand on the rim. You walk a short surfaced path between trees and benches to the crater's edge, where green walls open beneath you, with the small cone of Boqueroncito in the middle, clear on bright days. Mist can cover the view quickly. Along the road up, cafés and restaurants look over the capital, spread out below with its towers and hills. The park is 8 km in a straight line north-west of central San Salvador. It closed from 15 June to 15 July 2026 for maintenance, so check the situation before going. Bring a light layer, as it is cooler than the city. Keep to the path, stay back from the edge and watch children. The road is steep, so a private car or organised trip is best.
Deep walls below the rim.
A small cone on the floor.
The capital below the volcano.
Top of San Salvador Volcano, north-west of the capital
No, the path to the rim is short and surfaced.
It last erupted in 1917, and it sits close to the city.