Fire on high

One of the most elevated volcanoes in the world at 19,347 feet, Cotopaxi is one of the high points on a famous Ring of Fire (so much for down, down, down). Rising over rolling Andean foothills, this hotspot is the second-highest summit in Ecuador.Though Cotopaxi is active to this day, any magma headed up to its vent has a long trip in store. Situated in a country named for the equator, Cotopaxi's crater is among the farthest points on Earth from the planet's center thanks to the equatorial bulge. At 3,966 miles from the core, it's even farther out than Mount Everest. Pack your bags, lava!