It is located between the remains of two older craters, Herrera in the middle of the island and the Montículo Cinerítico[2] ("Ash Heap") in the southwest.

In November 1542, it was sighted again by the expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos that incorrectly identified it with the Santo Tomás of Grijalva (present day Socorro Island).

[citation needed][1] By March 9, 1953, most activity had subsided, except fumaroles in the crater and at the rift in its base; the lava was hard but still retained much heat.

A few Johngarthia planata land crabs were present also, having either managed to survive the eruption or, more probably, recolonized the island; their larvae live in the ocean.

[3] Its position on the northeastern edge of the archipelago makes San Benedicto the north(east)ernmost location where several seabirds of the tropical Eastern Pacific come to breed.

[3][6] Vagrants of other species, such as brown pelicans, red-tailed hawks, ospreys, barn swallows and bay-breasted warblers may occasionally visit the island but ultimately move on or perish, finding San Benedicto still too barren to support a resident population.

The local plant life contains several Revillagigedo endemics shared with Clarión: Bulbostylis nesiotica, Cyperus duripes and Perityle socorrosensis.

Other plants on San Benedicto are Aristolochia islandica, Cenchrus myosuroides, Eragrostis diversiflora, Erigeron crenatus, Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp.

[7] San Benedicto Island is a popular scuba diving destination known for underwater encounters with dolphins, sharks, giant manta rays and other pelagics.