Lunar-like and otherworldly, the landscape of El Pinacate is as beautiful as it is barren. Huge, craggy craters rise in startling contrast to the flatness of the surrounding desert, and in the western portion of the 728,460 hectares park winds build shifting dunes hundreds of feet high. Geologists and photographers are especially drawn to the rich textures and striking hues of this arid region.

This unique ecosystem in the Gran Desierto de Altar, designated a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve in 1993, has the largest concentration of volcanic cones and crates on Earth.

Huge craters were probably created when bubbling magma hit groundwater, initiating explosions of steam and blasting rock and lava into the air. One of the most spectacular examples of these black behemoths is Crater Elegante, abut 19 kilometres north of the main park entrance.