Administración de Parques Nacionales

PN Lago Puelo (Lago Puelo National Park) was created in order to protect its wonderful landscape and the valdiviana flora.

GENERAL INFORMATION OF THE AREA
Lago Puelo National Park was created as a Los Alerces National Park annexe. In 1971 it was declared National Park and independent reserve. It has a 27.674 hectare surface, and is located in the northwest of Chubut province.
The protected area belongs to the patagonic forest and steppes, and High Andes eco-regions. The climate is cod and wet, and there are snowfalls in winter.
PN Lago Puelo (Lago Puelo National Park) protects a wonderful landscape, and the valdiviana flora. In the National Park, which is located in the lower valley of the North Patagonia, there is a mountainous relief that determines the national park´s biodiversity.

ACCESS
There are two ways that allow visitors to access to the National Park. From San Carlos de Bariloche you can get to El Bolson City by route number 258. There are 135 kilometres between both cities. Then you must take route number 16 to Lago Puelo village. There is a pedestrian way to the National Park.

Also is possible to access to the protected area from the El Hoyo town. From this village you have to take a pedestrian way to the protected area.

REFERENCE MAP
Protected area location


	NATURAL RESOURCES SUGGESTIONS In PN Lago Puelo (Lago Puelo National Park), which is located in the lower valley of the North Patagonia, there is a mountainous relief that determines the national park´s biodiversity. The mountainous zone was modified by the glacier action. That situation provocated a lot of rivers and lakes, and one of them is the Lago Puelo lake. The rivers of the region have high level of glacier sediment called “silt”. This sediment gives to the Lago Puelo lake its blue color. The valley where is located the protected area has a “ trasandina” connection and a particular micro-climate. It has low heights (200 meters over the sea level, approximately). This characteristic difference this National Park from the other Andino-patagónicos protected areas. In the National Park there are some species, which belongs to the valdiviana jungle, such as the “avellano”, the “tique”, the “lingue” and the ”ulmo”. The autochthonous flora is composed by the “ciprés de la cordillera”, the “coihue”, the “lenga”, the “radal”, and the arrayán. The “rosa mosqueta” is an exotic plant that invaded this region. Some animals that inhabits the protected area are the “pudú”, the huemul –that has in this National Park one of its important population nucleus -, the red fox, the puma, and the “coipo”. Between the birds is common to see the “huala”, the “pato vapor volador” also called “qusetro”, the “bandurria”, the pitío, and the “zorzal patagónico". In the lake there are native fishes such us the “perca”, the “peladilla” and the “puyén grande”. There are also some exotic species: the “ trucha arco iris” and the ”trucha marrón”.

	CULTURAL RESOURCES The first inhabitats of the region lived in the steppe. They were hunters and collectors. They used stone tools to hunt guanacos, their main food. In PN Lago Puelo (Lago Puelo National Park) you can see some cave painting representations that reflects that those groups acceded to the forest. The painting is composed by red geometric images painted on stones or walls that could delimit some roads. The mapuches communities –the first inhabitants descendants- live in the east limits of the National Park. They live together with the white man later generations. Nowadays, in the south limits of the National Park live some inhabitants that have special permissions. They develop some productive activities, and a provincial school gives primary education to the people that live into and near the protected area.


	WALKS AND SERVICES There are tourist services and accommodation in lodging houses and hotels in El Bolson, Lago Puelo, and El Hoyo localities. These towns are located near the protected area. PN Lago Puelo (Lago Puelo National Park) has a recreative area, where there are two camping zones. One of them is organized and the other is a rural one. Into the recreative area there is a place called "La Playita", that is used as a little beach. It is one of the scarce beaches of the region. Its water has good tmeeprature because of the short depth of the lake. Private services also offer fishing walks. In the protected area there are some paths that take to wonderful places. Some of them are: Path to “Los Hitos”: this way has a eight hours duration, so it is recommended to sleep in a carp near to the zone or in the National Army. This path has a medium difficulty. Path to the Turbio river, by the Derrumbe cord: it takes seven hours. It is possible to sleep and make fire in the forester department nearness. There are important trekking walks. Path to the Plataforma hill :from the Turbio River forester department there are three hours. It is located in the joined provincial park. It has a refuge attended in summer. Path to the lake viewpoint: it has a 800 meter length, then it is necessary to ascend to a panoramic point that is located 150 meter over the lake level.

	SUGGESTIONS Remember that you are visiting a protected area, so that it is important to pay attention on signs and rules. This attitude contributes to preserve the region and to enjoy it. The administration suggests visitors: -To camp only in authorized places, and not to make trench next to the tent. -To use heater. If you don't have a heater, please make small fires only in authorized areas. Use dry and thin wood. Never let fire alive. Before leaving the place, put it out carefully with a lot of water. -To take bags for garbage with you. -To remember that is not allowed the entrance with pets.

	CONTACTS Lago Puelo National Park C.C. 165 (8430) Lago Puelo, Chubut, República Argentina Telephone number: (029) 44-499232 E-mail address: lagopuelo@apn.gov.ar Administración de Parques Nacionales 690, Santa Fe St. (1059) Buenos Aires, Argentina Telephone numbers: (011) 4311-6633/0303 E-mail address: informes@apn.gov.ar