The Northern Cordillera of Honduras
The Cordillera del Norte is a mountain range composed of the oldest mountains in Honduras, as confirmed by its geological structure.
The mountain range extends towards the Gulf of Honduras, between the departments of Copán and Santa Bárbara on the border with Guatemala, and is known as the Sierra del Espíritu Santo.
See also Mountains of Honduras
The Cordillera del Norte is formed by:
- Sierra del Espiritu Santo
- Sierra de Omoa
- Sierra Nombre de Dios
Its main mountains include La Grita, Elencia, Las Dantas, La Casimira, and Los Monos. The highest point is Cerro Azul in Copán, reaching an elevation of about 2285 meters above sea level (masl).
Further along the northern coast of Honduras, between the departments of Santa Bárbara and Cortés, this mountain range is known as Sierra de Omoa, reaching heights of 2000 to 2400 meters (around 8000 feet). The Motagua River runs along the northern side of this mountain range, while the Chamalecón River runs along the southern side, parallel to the Santiago River, separated by a line of hills that ends in the great Sula Valley near the mouth of the Ulúa River. The main mountains of this range include San Ildefonso and Omoa.
The Sierra Nombre de Dios is located «between the departments of Yoro and Atlántida, extending its mountain foothills to the Department of Colón, where the mountains or peaks of Calentura (1,235 masl) and Capiro with an altitude of 667 masl are found near the coast and in front of the city of Trujillo.»
The mountains of Nombre de Dios, La Masica, Mico Blanco, El Tiburón, and Cangrejal belong to the Sierra Nombre de Dios, with the highest peak of the range being Pico Bonito at 2435 masl. South of the city of La Ceiba, the Salitrán Mountain extends towards the Atlantic coast.
See also Geographical Regions of Honduras
