La Playita (Little Beach) - Mirador del Lago (Viewpoint of the Lake)

 There are two ways to get to the beach known as "La Playita" (Little Beach), one is from the path of the  Pitranto Grande and the other is to arrive by car by the road near the lake. I did both walking. When I went in May, autumn showed all its colours in the forests of the National Park.

Autumn in the road to "La Playita"

Autumn in the road to "La Playita"

At the end of the path of the Pitranto Grande  and crossing the portal of trunks, we found a sunny trail of sand after the deepest darkness of the forest of pitras. This path was surrounded by vegetation among we could see rosehip, brooms and murras. But not everything is beautiful in this path, unfortunately we went through an area where we found the reamins of a forest fire. It was small but it´s sadness to see the burned trees.

Sand path to "La Playita"

Walking to "La Playita"

We found another small trail that ran beside a stream in the forest. Walking we arrived to the place that serves as car parking near the lake. From there we have followed a little but easy path between the rocks and the lake to reached to the sandy beach where tourists enjoy the summer sun. In this sector the lake is shallow and the water is warmer, that allows swimming.

Walking to "La Playita"

La Playita

But leaving the forest called Pitranto Grande, and halfway to La Playita you could found another path, it is the footpath to the place known as Mirador del Lago (Viewpoint of the lake). This path is about 800 meters long and rises 150 meters above the lake and in parts passed through the forest, in others you walked very near the wall rock of the hill and with great views. It is a path with no major difficulties except the slope.

Walking to the "Mirador del Lago"

From the top we can see the lake, the Andes mountains, and the valley where it is situated Villa Lago Puelo.

Mirador del Lago (Viewpoint of the Lake)

Enjoy this beautiful view of my place in the world!!!!!

Pitranto Grande (Big Pitranto)

Inside the "Lago Puelo National Park" there is another beautiful footpath of no difficulty, of about 30 minutes walking and a length of 1000 meters, called "Sendero del Pitranto Grande" (Big Pitranto Path).

Between the pier and "La Playita" (Little Beach) we find the entrance to the "Bosque de las Sombras" (Forest of Shadows). To the left, we can see another gate made of wood. We enter by this portal, we can see to the right the dependences of the National Park Administration offices, and to the right a lot of trees like crab apples, plums and "murras". We arrive to a place with two another gates of trunks: one is the beginning of the path called "Antiguos Pobladores" (Old Settlers) and the trail to the Botanical Gardens; the other one is the entrance to the Pitranto Grande (Big Pitranto).

But what is a Pitranto? It is simply a forest of pitras, a strange tree known by different names: the Mapuches called it petra, but it is also known as patagua, temu, picha... Belongs to the Myrtaceae family and is relative to the myrtle. The scientific name is MYRCEUGENIA EXSUCCA (Myrceugenia is a combination of myrcia gender and eugenia, exsucca without juice).   Source:  http://www.florachilena.cl/

We enter into this strange and dark forest by a path that seems to have a padded, soft and swampy floor, composed of leaves and roots; some sectors are completely flooded. With its shade, the pitras protect the quality of the water in which they grow.

Unfortunately the forests of pitras are disappearing, and the "Pitranto Grande" is one of the largest remaining in the region. Under its shadows grow ferns that can be found only under these trees, they are called "beef ribs" or Quilquil.

The pitras are trees that grow between 10 to 15 meters high, their trunks are 50/60 centimeters in diameter and they can live up to 150 to 200 years. Their very twisted branches that form strange shapes and their flaky bark are really striking and give the place a fantastic and magical look. It seems to be into a forest of a Tolkien´s tale. This forest of pitras and myrtles is very dark, even more than the "Bosque de las Sombras" along which we traveled in a previous post.  Link: Bosque de las Sombras 

  

Walking along the path we find some wooden bridges built across streams of very dark but transparent waters. At the end of the trail appears another portal of trunks: we left the deepest darkness of the forest and change it for the sunshine; the path becomes a sand road surrounded by vegetation, among which we can see rosehip, brooms and murras. Following this path we came to "La Playita" on the shore of Puelo lake. 

I hope you have enjoyed this Pitranto Grande Path, one of the many circuits that can be found in this beautiful "Lago Puelo National Park".

 Thanks for your visit!!!!!!!!!

"Forest of Shadows"... a magical place

One of the most beautiful and magical circuits of the "Lago Puelo National Park" is that called "Bosque de las Sombras" (Forest of the Shadows).

The trail goes into the green and deep forest... It is a path with no slope of 600 meters, of easy difficulty and its duration is about 30 minutes. We can go into the forest by a footbridge made of coihue´s wood  and built on the marshy and flooded ground. Here the water is transparent but it seems dark.

The "Forest of Shadows" is a very green place, where you can see several types of ferns and trees as pitras or pataguas, myrtles, avelinos, all of them with very twisted branches that give us the feeling of walking into a dim light...

The presence of fairies seems to float in the air, and that we are walking into a storybook of elves.

A fascinating and magical place...

Welcome to "LAGO PUELO NATIONAL PARK"

Near the village, about 3 kilometers, is the gateway to the "LAGO PUELO NATIONAL PARK", created in 1937 as an annex of the "Los Alerces National Park" and in 1971 it was declared independent National Park and Reserve; it includes also a Strict Nature Reserve. It can be reached by paved route Nº 16, either in your own car or by bus from El Bolsón.


Route Nº16 to the National Park



Signs in the entrance of the Park

 This park protects the Andean patagonian forest in the transition to the Valdivian rainforest, which enters to our country in this place between the hills "Aguja Norte" (North Needle) and "Aguja Sur" (South Needle). The treasured landscapes are really stunning: the mountains of the Andes, the important moun "Tres Picos" (Three Peaks), the blue water of the lake and the lush vegetation.

Mount "Tres Picos" (Three Peaks)



General view of the Puelo lake

In the lake you can do both kayaking or motor boats trips. There are tours to differente points like:

• "El Turbio", Turbio river mouth and where you can be off the boat and walk through the very small town,
• "Los Hitos", al the border with Chile

Sailing across the lake

Puelo Lake

In the summer and sunny days, people enjoy a sandy beach called "La Playita", where you can swim because the water is warm. In this National Park you can practice hiking, river rafting, rock climbing, fly-fishing, bird-watching till you enjoy nature.



Puelo Lake and Mount "Tres Picos"

 There are several circuits for those who love trekking, one of the most beautiful is that called "Bosque de las Sombras" (Forest of Shadows) and the strangest is the "Pitranto Grande" (Big Pitranto). Both trails go into the forest, where you can see different type of trees: pitra, myrtle, mountain cypress, lenga, coihue, radal and many types of ferns.

Forest of Shadows

Forest of Shadows



Forest of Shadows

Pitranto Grande



Pitranto Grande



Pitranto Grande

This park is a refuge for the huemul, a small deer that is natural monument and is in danger of extinction. Another endagered animal is the pudú, the world´s smallest deer that lives in the chilean forests. There are also pumas, foxes, and other not so well known species like the huillín (patagonian otter) and monkey forest.

Many species of birds fly in these skies: chimangos, mandolins, thrushes and several types of ducks.

During high season (summer time) there are some coffe shops and grill areas, also thre´re two camping sites. If you like trekking, you can climb the Currumahuida hill through a path of 800 meters to a viewpoint located 150 meters height, which allows the observation of the lake and its beautiful surrounding area.



Lake´s Viewpoint

Viewpoint from the Currumahuida



Lake´s Viewpoint

The Botanical Garden of Lago Puelo is located inside the National Park and there are many hiking trails as:

• The voice of the maple trail,
• the Population Rietman trail,
• the Cypress grove trail,
• and the Pitras trail.

Botanical Garden

Voice of the maple trail

 I´ll try to let you more of this beautiful and special park in other posts. But I think that you would like this place and this refuge of nature...