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!!!!!

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...

Welcome to LAGO PUELO

I´m beggining to let you know my place in the world: LAGO PUELO in the Parallel 42º Andean Shire, very near to the border with Chile. It´s located in a green valley al the foot of the Andean mountains but only at 170 meters above sea level. The "MAPUCHE" people, the first inhabitants gave the area the name of  PUELCO, that it means "eastern waters" (Puelo is a deformation word of Puelco). 



Welcome to Lago Puelo

 

Streets of Lago Puelo



Library



In this part of Patagonia there´s a microclimate, the village is surrounded by hills that keep it sheltered from the winds, so the winters are no so rude, snows a little but rains a lot. In the summer the warm and sunny days allow tourist to walk through the various circuits, practice rock climbing, fly-fishing or enjoy the beach of the lake.



Puelo Lake



Autumn in Lago Puelo



Autumn in Lago Puelo



The streets of the village are wide, the avenues have squares in the center and the sidewalks have also green areas. There is a trail that climbs the Currumahuida hill and that it shows the village from above. You can see that the buildings are low rise and the materials most used here are stones, bricks and wood from the area like the cypress wood. The roofs are of sheet metal and shops have their advertising signs made of wood too.

 

Lago Puelo from the Currumahuida Hill



Lago Puelo from the Currumahuida Hill

 

Restaurante near the main square



Streets of Lago Puelo



Typical building of Lago Puelo

 In the shield of the town, it can be observed the Cerro Tres Picos (Three Peaks hill), the Puelo Lake and a cypress, typical tree of this region. To the right is a branch of Rosehip and to the left a branch of hops, representing the agriculture. At the bottom it´s a hazel tree, only found in Puelo. At the top is a rising sun symbolizing the strenght and the future of the young town (Municipalidad de Lago Puelo).

(Municipalidad de Lago Puelo)


But the most beautiful place here is the Lago Puelo National Park, that we are going to know in another post...