Devil's Woodyard

Devil's Woodyard is a group of mud volcanoes near Princes Town, small cones of grey clay a metre or two high that push out cold mud and gas continuously, with the surface bubbling and occasionally spitting. It erupted violently in 1852, which is when it got its name, and again on a smaller scale since. It is one of the most accessible of Trinidad's mud volcanoes, set in a small park with a fence, benches and a caretaker.

Background

The vents lie in Hindustan, in New Grant near Princes Town, and are one of the most visited of Trinidad's many mud volcanoes. Local legend says the first eruption in 1852 shook the whole village and brought down its tall trees, and the frightened Amerindian villagers believed the devil had come up from under the ground to fell the woods, which gave the site its name. The mounds still bubble and hiss from time to time. Activity returned in February 2018, with a first eruption on the 12th and two more on the 13th.

Source: Wikipedia, "Devil's Woodyard"

What's there

• The cones - small clay cones pushing out cold grey mud continuously.
• The bubbling - gas breaking the surface of the mud pools.
• The 1852 eruption - the event that gave the site its name.
• The park setting - a fenced and maintained site with benches and paths.

When to go

January to May is driest and the mud is most visible. Wet season rain floods the site and dilutes the mud. Mornings are quietest.

Things to know

It is small and the visit is short, perhaps twenty minutes. The mud is cold and there is no dramatic activity most of the time. The site has been fenced after visitors walked on the cones and damaged them.

Nearby

Princes Town is west, and Moruga is south.

Key facts