The La Brea Pitch Lake is a lake of natural asphalt in southwest Trinidad. It has fascinated explorers, scientists and the common folk since its discovery by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595. The lake covers about 500 sq. m and is reported to be 75 m deep. The Pitch Lake attracts about 20,000 visitors annually. It is also mined for asphalt which is exported for high-quality road construction. If you are visiting Trinidad, one of the places of interest is the La Brea pitch lake. The Pitch lake in La brea is unique in that it is the largest one of it’s kind in the world. There are only two other lakes of it’s kind, one in California in the USA and the other in Venezuela in South America. What is a Pitch Lake? Believe it or not the Pitch lake has a history stemming back to 6 million years ago when oil seeped through the cracks in the earth’s surface. Scientist believe that it will take about four hundred years before the lake will be depleted of the pitch. What is the pitch used for? The asphalt from the pitch lake is used mainly to pave the road ways in Trinidad and Tobago and is also a main source of export from this island to the rest of the world. What you should know before visiting the pitch lake! While the pitch lake can be an exciting adventure, you should be aware that there are many soft areas in the lake that can be quite dangerous to the armature eye. You should proceed with caution in these areas to avoid getting stuck or injured. There are many locals who would be more than happy to guide you through a tour, but we advise you to schedule a tour with a professional guide at the front office building. These guides live this experience day in and day out, they are very familiar with the pitch lake and can give you the extensive history as well as the old folk lore surrounding the lake.
The La Brea Pitch Lake is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt. However, commercial excavation of asphalt has slowed down considerably, since other more cost effective materials are available for road construction. The pitch lake is now primarily a tourist destination. Many go to bathe in its waters, which contain sulphur, which some say has healing properties. A lot of credit for that has to go to my guide, an aging Rastafarian guy going by the name "Roy". He was patient, knowledgeable and willing to peel away the outer layers of mystique surrounding the lake! Actually, that last part's only a joke to go along with this photo of him peeling back the hardened skin of the lake.
For those of you who don't know, "pitch" is just an old fashioned name for "tar". Pitch Lake on Trinidad's west coast, in the appropriately named "La Brea" district, is a 95 acre lake of tar. The guidebook I have says the lake is often a disappointment for tourists who drive down from Port of Spain, because it looks like a large parking lot. Personally, I found the trip very worthwhile. If this is a parking lot, then it's not like any I've ever been to. The surface yields just slightly when walked on, though I'm told that a car would sink into it fairly quickly. The tar is also over 350 feet deep at the center of the lake, which is shaped like an inverted cone. The lake also houses a museum and cafeteria. The lake also has a “Fountain of youth” which is open for bathing. The ” Fountain of youth” was created from the separation of the water and tar that the lake naturally spews. Many believe that you can be healed of various ailments, like dandruff and skin problems like eczema by taking a bath in this fountain. Taking a tour of the pitch lake usually takes about 45 minutes.
