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San Quintín Volcanic Field

Photo of this volcano
  • Mexico
  • Pyroclastic cone(s)
  • Pleistocene
  •  
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 30.467°N
  • 116.012°W

  • 260 m
    853 ft

  • 341002
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports for San Quintín Volcanic Field.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for San Quintín Volcanic Field.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for San Quintín Volcanic Field.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Eruptive History

The Global Volcanism Program is not aware of any Holocene eruptions from San Quintín Volcanic Field. If this volcano has had large eruptions (VEI >= 4) prior to 10,000 years ago, information might be found on the San Quintín Volcanic Field page in the LaMEVE (Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions) database, a part of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for San Quintín Volcanic Field.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for San Quintín Volcanic Field.

Photo Gallery

Isla San Martín, 6 km off the west coast of Baja California, is the westernmost volcano of the San Quintín volcanic field and the only one that is located offshore. The 2-km-wide island is a shield volcano capped by scoria cones that reach 230 m above sea level. Wave erosion has truncated part of the volcano, forming the sea cliffs seen at the left on the S side of the island.

Photo by Jim Luhr, 1990 (Smithsonian Institution).
The San Quintín Volcanic Field on the NW coast of Baja California contains lava flows and young scoria cones. This view looks south from Volcán Basu to Picacho Vizcaino (surrounded by young lava flows), and Volcán Sudoeste (upper left). These are among the youngest features of the San Quintín field.

Photo by Jim Luhr, 1990 (Smithsonian Institution).
The Volcán Sudoeste scoria cone, and smaller cones at its base, are part of the San Quintín volcanic field in México's Baja Peninsula. They are seen here from the north on the slopes of Picacho Vizcaino. Volcán Sudoeste is one of the youngest scoria cones of the field.

Photo by Jim Luhr, 1990 (Smithsonian Institution).
Volcán Sudoeste, one of a group of young cones of the San Quintín Volcanic Field, is located at the end of a narrow peninsula extending into the Pacific Ocean. The sand bars along the coast connect Volcán Sudoeste to Monte Mazo, at the southern end of a 10-km-long sand spit.

Photo by Jim Luhr, 1990 (Smithsonian Institution).
This 1978 aerial photo shows the nested craters of Volcán Riveroll (right-center) and the intersecting craters of Volcán Basu (below and to the left). The Riveroll craters open towards the NW (upper left). The darker basaltic lava flows extend to the SE from both cone complexes. The flow from Riveroll diverts around the Kenton scoria cone (edge of image at the lower right). The lighter areas are windblown sand. the Pacific coast shoreline is to the left, and the body of water to the upper right is part of San Quintín Bay.

Aerial photo by Comisión de Estudios del Territorio Nacional (CETENAL), 1:25,000, 1978.
Volcán Riveroll, seen here from the NE, is the northernmost of the southern group of cones within the San Quintín Volcanic Field. A broad crater is at the summit and opens widely to the NW. A smaller nested crater was constructed within the original crater and is the youngest feature of the volcano.

Photo by Jim Luhr, 1990 (Smithsonian Institution).
Volcán Ceniza (left) and Cerro Kenton (right), seen here from near Chapala, are two of a group of young scoria cones in the southern part of the San Quintín Volcanic Field in northern Baja California. Along with the Riveroll cone to the NW, they are constructed along a NW-SE trend, one of several fracture patterns in the San Quintín field. The two cones form a peninsula extending into Bahia Falsa, part of which is visible to the left.

Photo by Jim Luhr, 1990 (Smithsonian Institution).
A vertical aerial photograph shows the small, roughly 1-km-wide Isla San Martín, the westernmost of the small volcanoes of the San Quintín volcanic field. Isla San Martín lies 6 km off the Pacific Ocean coast from the rest of the volcanic field and consists of a small basaltic shield volcano capped by a less than 40-m-high cinder cone. The peninsula at the SE (lower right) side of the island is formed by a lava flow.

Aerial photo by Comisión de Estudios del Territorio Nacional (CETENAL), 1:25,000, 1999.
The Woodford group (Ieft) and Media Luna (right), seen here from the SSE, comprise the northern group of cones of the San Quintín Volcanic Field. It consists of a cluster of scoria cones and associated lava flows. The large cone of Media Luna opens towards the east, and it produced a lava flow in that direction.

Photo by Jim Luhr, 1990 (Smithsonian Institution).
GVP Map Holdings

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included. The maps database originated over 30 years ago, but was only recently updated and connected to our main database. We welcome users to tell us if they see incorrect information or other problems with the maps; please use the Contact GVP link at the bottom of the page to send us email.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

The following 100 samples associated with this volcano can be found in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences collections, and may be availble for research (contact the Rock and Ore Collections Manager). Catalog number links will open a window with more information.

Catalog Number Sample Description Lava Source Collection Date
NMNH 116600-1 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-10 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-11 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-12 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-13 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-14 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-15 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-16 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-17 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-18 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-19 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-2 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-20 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-21 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-22 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-23 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-24 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-25 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-26 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-27 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-28 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-29 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-3 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-30 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-31 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-32 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-33 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-34 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-35 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-36 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-37 Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-38 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-39 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-4 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-40 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-41 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-42 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-43 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-44 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-45 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-46 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-47 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-48 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-49 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-5 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-50 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-51 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-52 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-53 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-54 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-55 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-56 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-57 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-58 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-59 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-6 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-60 Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-61 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116600-62 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-63 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-64 Unidentified -- --
NMNH 116600-7 Basanite -- --
NMNH 116600-8 Alkalic Basalt -- --
NMNH 116600-9 Hawaiite -- --
NMNH 116610-24 Lherzolite MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 116610-25 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 116610-26 Lherzolite MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 116610-27 Lherzolite MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 116610-28 Dunite MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 116610-29 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 116610-3 Spinel Peridotite -- --
NMNH 116857-14 Spinel Lherzolite -- --
NMNH 117213-38 Clinopyroxene -- --
NMNH 117214-40 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 117214-42 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 117214-43 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 117214-44 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 117214-45 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 117214-46 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 117214-47 Xenolith MEDIA LUNA --
NMNH 117214-48 Xenolith -- --
NMNH 117588-1 Basalt Volcán Basu --
NMNH 117588-15 Basalt Cerro Kenton --
NMNH 117588-16 Basalt Cerro Kenton --
NMNH 117588-17 Scoria Volcán Bacon --
NMNH 117588-18 Basalt -- --
NMNH 117588-19 Sand -- --
NMNH 117588-2 Basalt Volcán Basu --
NMNH 117588-20 Sand -- --
NMNH 117588-21 Scoria -- --
NMNH 117588-22 Basalt -- --
NMNH 117588-23 Basalt -- --
NMNH 117588-3 Basalt Picacho Vizcaino --
NMNH 117588-4 Basalt Picacho Vizcaino --
NMNH 117588-5 Plagioclase -- --
NMNH 117588-6 Clinopyroxene -- --
NMNH 117633-1 Basalt -- --
NMNH 117633-2 Basalt -- --
NMNH 117633-3 Basalt -- --
NMNH 117633-4 Basalt -- --
External Sites