Cajón del Maipo

Cajón del Maipo is a canyon in the southeastern portion of Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region. San José de Maipo is the capital of the commune that includes the entire Andean sector of the Metropolitan Region.

The canyon encompasses the upper Maipo River basin. The valley features a series of confluent rivers, including the El Volcán, Yeso, and Colorado rivers and minor streams, including San Gabriel, Manzanito, Coyanco, El Sauce, El Manzano, and San José.

The greater Maipo Valley is surrounded by some of the highest peaks in the region, including the San José, Maipo, and Marmolejo volcanos. As a result, the canyon is a popular tourist destination, especially for trekking.

Maipo Volcano

The Maipo volcano is located in the Andes Mountains, approximately 100 km (62 km) southeast of Santiago, Chile, on the border with Argentina. Maipo is one of the most active Chile-Argentina border volcanoes.

Rising to an elevation of 5,264 m (17,270 ft) above sea level, the stratovolcano has a symmetrical, conical shape. Its cone towers about 1,900 m (6,230 ft) above the floor of the Diamante caldera.

Diamante Caldera

The Diamante caldera was formed during a major explosive eruption about 450,000 years ago. It covers an area of approximately 15 x 20 km (9 x 12 m) on the border between Chile and Argentina.

Lake Diamante is located within Argentine territory east of the Maipo volcano, on the eastern side of the Diamante caldera. The lake formed when lava flows blocked drainage channels from the caldera during an eruption in 1826. The lake is a popular tourist destination.

San José Volcanic Group

The San José Volcanic Group is a massive volcanic group on the Chile-Argentina border at the end of the Cajón del Maipo. The complex covers an area of approximately 10 km (6 mi) x 5 km (3 mi).

The San José volcano, from which the group takes its name, is a stratovolcano on the south end of the group. In addition, the complex includes the La Engorda, Espiritu Santo, Plantat, and Marmolejo volcanos. The Marmolejo volcano lies on the northern end of the group.