Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi volcano: height, last eruption and whether it's still active
Cotopaxi volcano is a 5,897-metre (19,347 ft) active stratovolcano in the Andes of Ecuador, about 50 km south of Quito. It is the second-highest peak in the country after Chimborazo, and its glaciated cone is the mountain most visitors picture when they think of Ecuador. It last erupted from October 2022 to October 2023.
We guide Cotopaxi most weeks of the year. So next to the encyclopedia numbers you will find what they mean on the ground: how the height hits your body, what “active” means for a visit, and the rules that changed when the summit reopened in 2024.
Cotopaxi volcano at a glance
| Height | 5,897 m / 19,347 ft (5,911 m in some references) |
| Rank | 2nd highest in Ecuador, highest active volcano in the country |
| Type | Andesitic stratovolcano |
| Location | Cotopaxi Province, 50 km south of Quito, 0°40′S 78°26′W |
| National park | Cotopaxi National Park, created 1975, free entry |
| Last eruption | 21 Oct 2022 to Oct 2023 (ash and gas) |
| Big historic eruption | 26 June 1877 |
| First ascent | 28 November 1872, Wilhelm Reiss and Ángel Escobar |
| Climb | Glacier climb, guide required, about 70% summit success |
How tall is Cotopaxi?
Cotopaxi is 5,897 m (19,347 ft) tall. That makes it Ecuador’s second-highest summit, behind Chimborazo at 6,263 m, and around 2 m higher than Kilimanjaro. You will also see 5,911 m (19,393 ft), the figure used by the Smithsonian and Britannica; it comes from an older survey, while Ecuadorian sources use 5,897 m.
| Mountain | Height | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Chimborazo, Ecuador | 6,263 m | Inactive |
| Cotopaxi, Ecuador | 5,897 m | Active |
| Kilimanjaro, Tanzania | 5,895 m | Dormant |
| Cayambe, Ecuador | 5,790 m | Active |
| Iliniza Sur, Ecuador | 5,248 m | Extinct |
For anyone going up, the number matters more than any ranking. At the summit you breathe roughly half the oxygen you get at sea level. People fly into Quito (2,850 m), drive to the refuge the next morning and can’t work out why a 45-minute walk leaves them flat. That is the altitude, and fitness doesn’t fix it; time does. Read our guide to altitude and acclimatisation in Ecuador before you settle on dates.
What type of volcano is Cotopaxi?
Cotopaxi is an andesitic stratovolcano: a steep, layered cone built over tens of thousands of years from lava flows, ash and broken rock. It is close to the textbook shape, with one exception on its flank, a rocky knob called the Cabeza del Inca (“Inca’s Head”).
Everything above about 5,000 m sits under a permanent glacier. The ice is what turns the ascent into a mountaineering trip instead of a hike. It is also shrinking fast: studies put the loss at roughly half of its area between 1976 and 2015, from about 21.8 km² to 11.6 km². On the route you can see bare grey rock where older photos show white.
Is Cotopaxi still active?
Yes. Cotopaxi is one of the most active volcanoes in the northern Andes, and the Geophysical Institute in Quito (IG-EPN) watches it with seismometers, gas sensors, thermal cameras and lahar detectors.
Active means it has erupted recently and will again. It does not mean the park is dangerous to walk in on an open day. The two most recent episodes show how that works in practice.
The 2015 eruption began on 14 August with steam, ash and small phreatic explosions, and lasted into January 2016. The summit stayed closed to climbers until 2017. The next phase started on 21 October 2022 with mild ash and gas emissions; the IG-EPN declared it over in October 2023, and the summit reopened in stages from February 2024.
In August 2025 a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck about 10 km from the volcano. The IG-EPN described activity as low with a rising trend, and said there was no sign of an imminent eruption. Things can change within weeks, so before any trip we check the IG-EPN’s Cotopaxi page and the park’s access status, and you should too.
When did Cotopaxi last erupt?
Cotopaxi last erupted between 21 October 2022 and October 2023, a mild phase of ash and gas. It has around 87 recorded eruptions since 1534. The large, destructive ones are centuries old; the worst was 1877.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1534 | First recorded eruption, during the Spanish conquest |
| 1742, 1744, 1768 | Major eruptions; each one damaged Latacunga |
| 26 June 1877 | Lahars ran down every side of the cone and buried much of Latacunga |
| 1903–1904 | Smaller eruptions, then minor activity until about 1940 |
| 1975, 2002 | Unrest with no eruption |
| Aug 2015 to Jan 2016 | Phreatic eruption; summit closed until 2017 |
| Oct 2022 to Oct 2023 | Ash and gas emissions; summit reopened from Feb 2024 |
Lahars: the real hazard
Lava is not the main danger at Cotopaxi. Lahars are: mudflows that form when heat from an eruption melts the summit glacier and sends water, ash and boulders down the valleys at the speed of a car. In 1877 they travelled more than 100 km and reached both the Pacific and the Amazon drainages.
That is why the Latacunga valley and the Valle de los Chillos, south of Quito, have lahar sirens, signed evacuation routes and drills. Climbers on the north face are not in the lahar channels, and the park closes long before conditions reach that point. Small secondary lahars still happen after heavy rain; one ran down the northwest flank in May 2024.
Where is Cotopaxi?
Cotopaxi is in Cotopaxi Province, in the central highlands of Ecuador, 50 km south of Quito and 31 km northeast of Latacunga. The volcano is the centrepiece of Cotopaxi National Park, which also reaches into Pichincha and Napo provinces. On a clear morning you can see the cone from Quito’s northern neighbourhoods.
From Quito the drive takes about 1.5 hours to the Caspi control gate (the main southern entrance) via the Panamericana. Entry to the park is free, as it is for all mainland protected areas in Ecuador. Inside, the páramo, the Limpiopungo lagoon and the walk up to the José Ribas refuge at 4,864 m are open to anyone, with no climbing gear needed. For the wider picture, see our Cotopaxi National Park guide and the country’s other volcano climbs.
Can you climb Cotopaxi?
Yes, and it is one of the best non-technical high climbs in South America. There is no rock climbing and no vertical ice, but it is still a glaciated 5,897 m peak: you leave the refuge around midnight, rope up for crevasses, and aim to reach the crater rim at first light.
Since the 2024 reopening the rules are stricter. You need a licensed operator with a quota for the day, a booking at the refuge, a certified mountain guide (one guide for every two climbers), registration with the park, and a safety briefing; climbers carry a gas mask in case of volcanic gas. On 16 March 2025 an avalanche near 5,800 m caught part of a large group on the summit route. Several people were injured and nobody died. It is a reminder that the hazard on Cotopaxi is usually snow, not the volcano.
Around 70% of well-acclimatised climbers reach the top. Most of the rest turn back because of wind or because they came straight from sea level. The best time to climb is the drier, calmer window of December and January, with a second season from June to August.
We run Cotopaxi as a guided multi-day climb with acclimatisation days on smaller peaks first, because that is what gets people to the rim.
Frequently asked questions
How tall is Cotopaxi volcano?
Cotopaxi is 5,897 metres (19,347 ft) high. It is the second-highest summit in Ecuador after Chimborazo (6,263 m) and about 2 m higher than Kilimanjaro. Some references, including the Smithsonian's volcano database, give 5,911 m from an older survey.
Is Cotopaxi still active?
Yes. Cotopaxi is an active stratovolcano watched around the clock by Ecuador's Geophysical Institute (IG-EPN). It erupted in 2015–2016 and again from October 2022 to October 2023. Activity changes, so check the IG-EPN's latest report before you travel.
When did Cotopaxi last erupt?
Its last eruption ran from 21 October 2022 to October 2023: mild ash and gas emissions. Before that it erupted from August 2015 to January 2016. The last large, destructive eruption was on 26 June 1877, when mudflows buried much of Latacunga.
What type of volcano is Cotopaxi?
Cotopaxi is an andesitic stratovolcano, a steep cone built from layers of lava, ash and rock. Its eruptions are explosive, and because the summit carries a glacier, meltwater mudflows called lahars are its main hazard.
Where is Cotopaxi volcano located?
Cotopaxi is in Cotopaxi Province, central Ecuador, inside Cotopaxi National Park. It sits about 50 km south of Quito (around 1.5 hours by road) and 31 km northeast of Latacunga, on the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
Is it safe to visit Cotopaxi National Park?
Yes, when the park is open. Entry is free, the volcano is monitored continuously, and access closes as soon as the authorities see a risk. The climb above the refuge is a different matter: it is glaciated, avalanche-prone ground where a certified guide is required.
Can you climb Cotopaxi volcano?
Yes. It is a non-technical glacier climb to 5,897 m, started around midnight from the José Ribas refuge. Since the 2024 reopening you need a licensed operator, a refuge booking and a certified guide. Roughly 70% of well-acclimatised climbers reach the summit.
Is Cotopaxi the highest active volcano in the world?
No. Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) and Llullaillaco (6,739 m) on the Chile-Argentina border are higher. Cotopaxi is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world and the highest active one in Ecuador, since Chimborazo is considered inactive.
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