Guatemala/Mexico (4,220 m, 4,067 m) – Tallest Mountains in Central America
Mount Tajumulco and Mount Tacana are the tallest mountains in Central America, and the largest semi-active volcanoes in the same region. Tajumulco, entirely within Guatemala, is the tallest, though Tacana on the border with Mexico is arguably the more spectacular. Both volcanoes are currently, though no full-scale eruptions have taken place in years, the last recorded event being a small eruption at Tacana in 1986.
Both volcanoes stand close to the Pacific coast, and were probably among the first major mountains encountered by early migrants into Central America. Both may have also been held to be sacred sites as was typical for volcanoes in the region. Due to the relatively easy slopes, both volcanoes were probably climbed in the pre-Columpian rea.
Mount Tajumulco and Mount Tacana are essentially adjacent to each other, with their peaks less than fifteen miles apart. Both volcanoes are accessible by orad to the city of Quetzaltenango approximately 35 miles to the southeast. Tacana, which is part of a biosphere reserve, is the closer and more popular of the two.
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