Pitch Lake

Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

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Pitch Lake in Trinidad and Tobago is a large natural asphalt lake located in the village of La Brea, on the southwest coast of Trinidad, covering about 100 acres and considered the largest surface deposit of natural bitumen in the world.

The lake is roughly 75–80 meters deep in places and holds millions of tons of asphalt that has been mined for centuries, used to pave roads and airport runways internationally, including sections of major roads in Europe and the United States. British adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh visited the site in 1595 and used the pitch to caulk his ships, and the area later became a major commercial resource, now operated by the state‑owned Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago.

Today Pitch Lake is also a popular tourist attraction, where visitors can walk along the solidified black surface with a guided tour, see small bubbling pools said to have healing properties, and learn about the lake’s geology and history at a small on‑site museum.