A process for the activation of a fluorination catalyst in which a catalyst precursor compound, supported or unsupported is first dried and thereafter activated by exposure to an activating agent at a pressure greater that about 100 psig and a temperature grater than about 100° C. The process is particularly suited to the activation of chromium (III) compounds, such as Cr2O3. The resulted dry, high-pressure activated catalyst was found to provide increase fluorination conversion, with higher selectivity of the desired product.