Los Alerces National Park
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Los Alerces National Park
In the Patagonian province of Chubut sits one of Argentina’s many great wonders: Los Alerces National Park. It has been a protected area for quite some time, earning its distinction in 1937. It is 2,630 square kilometers, and runs along the Chilean border.
The park was created in order to protect the alerce forest, from which it gets its name, as well as other typical Patagonian Andean flora. The alerce is one of the most ancient trees in the world, with one of the longest life spans. In fact, some of the trees within the park are about 3,000 years old, and many are well over 1,000 years old. The tree grows slowly, and is part of the Cupressaceae family.
As the park is quite large, it has several forests and two different climates. The west is home to a neotropic ecozone called Valdivian temperate rain forests, which experience high rainfall and sit below the towering Andes mountains.
The rest of the park consists mostly of typical Patagonian forests, with coihues and lenga trees, as well, similar to Lanín and Nahuel Huapi National Parks. See this Argentina Travel Guide for more information on other Argentine national parks.
The park is also home to a complex lake system, connected by a multitude of sparkly, winding rivers. The most important river is the Frey River, and the Menendez, Rivadavia, Krüger and Futalaufquen lakes stand out as the principal lakes. An artificial lake — Lake Amutui Quimei — is also a part of the park, and is created but a hydroelectric dam which provides energy to the nearby Puerto Madryn.
With so much natural beauty, there are many different ways for visitors to enjoy this magnificent part of the country. Hiking is an obvious choice, and there are many paths to enjoy. The park’s principal, most visited forest is at Puerto Sagrario, which sits at the northern end of Lake Menendez. The Arrayanes river also runs through the area, and arrayán trees can be seen lining their namesake body of water. You can check for more sports in this Argentina travel guide.
Another popular choice for exploring the 20-some different trails is on horseback or mountain bike. These trails will even take you to see prehistoric stone paintings, as well as the native plants, flowers, and fauna that populate the area.
Perhaps the most fascinating excursion you can take starts at Limonao Port and winds through some of the oldest alerce forests around. You will travel through Lake Futalaufquen, Arrayanes river, Lake Verde and Lake Menendez, seeing gorgeous views, native vegetation, and you will greatly appreciate the views of Torrecilla Hill and its hanging glacier.
The Park Headquarters are a great place to start your visit, and they are right on the shore of Lake Futalaufquen. Not only is there a Visitor’s Information Center, but today a small population has settled and call the area, aptly named Villa Futalaufquen, home. They also offer some basic services to visitors and tourists.