Lago Futalaufquen: Trails, Mountains and Parkland

Lago Futalaufquen is a destination for trips focused on the landscape and exploring Parque Nacional Los Alerces. Villa Futalaufquen, a small settlement within the protected area, brings together important points of reference for the park. The options described range from a short trail to a waterfall to challenging mountain hikes. When choosing your holiday rental, it is therefore worth considering which excursions and what pace you have in mind for your stay.

Parkland at the foot of the Andes

Villa Futalaufquen borders the Cordillera de los Andes to the west. The town is home to the administrative centre of Parque Nacional Los Alerces, the park ranger headquarters and an information centre. Villa Futalaufquen is also considered the first strategic point on a circuit through the park. This makes it a useful reference point when planning various excursions in the protected area as part of your trip.

You can also explore the landscape on foot at Lago Futalaufquen: the trail to Puerto Limonao follows the shore and is 4 km each way. It is rated as moderate. You can also drive the 4 km from Villa Futalaufquen to Puerto Limonao. This lets you choose between a lakeside hike and a drive to the port when planning your day.

Trails for different day plans

A short outing takes you to Cascada Tío Mindo. The trail there from Villa Futalaufquen is considered easy; the walking time is 15 minutes. For a longer hike, consider Cerro Alto El Dedal: the route is listed as taking seven hours on foot and having a high difficulty level. Registration at the Villa Futalaufquen Information Centre is required.

The route to Cerro Cocinero also begins near Villa Futalaufquen, 150 m from Arroyo Rañinto. It is 4.3 km each way, rated as difficult, and requires mandatory registration at the information centre. These details can help you distinguish a demanding hike from shorter trails before planning your excursion days.

Another option combines nature and rock art: the accessible Pinturas Rupestres trail begins 1 km from the Villa Futalaufquen Information Centre. It is 823 m long; the walking time is about 30 minutes each way. The trail leads to a rock overhang with rock paintings and continues to the Divisadero viewpoint. This means you can take in both the rock art and the viewpoint on the same walk.

Cascada Irigoyen is on Ruta Provincial No. 71, 6 km from the town. The first section passes through varied vegetation to a waterfall, taking about 10 minutes each way. The walking time is approximate. Together with the short trail to Cascada Tío Mindo, it offers another way to include a hike with a relatively short stated walking time in your trip.

Getting oriented and travelling there

The Villa Futalaufquen Information Centre provides information on trail conditions and availability, and handles the mandatory registration for hikes where it is required. The visitor centre has seasonal opening hours: during the summer season, from November to Holy Week, it is open Monday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. During the winter holidays in July and August, it is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In the shoulder season, the centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

From Esquel, you can reach Villa Futalaufquen via RN 259 and RP 71; the distance to the park’s administrative centre is 52 km. A daily bus connects Esquel with Villa Futalaufquen; it runs less frequently in the shoulder season. A road leads north from Villa Futalaufquen through Parque Nacional Los Alerces and connects the town with Ruta Nacional No. 258 towards El Bolsón.

If you would like to discover other destinations in addition to Lago Futalaufquen, you can also find out about Los Cipreses and La Aldea.

For the broader travel overview: Departamento Futaleufú.