A Stunning Mountain with Challenging Hikes in a Andean Deer Sanctuary
The impressive 2.675 m (8,776 ft) Cerro Castillo peak gives the name to the surrounding national park. A pradise for mountaineers, with a well known trekking circuit and several very active day hikes, ascending from the Patagonia Forest to hanging glaciers and turquoise waters lagoons in the alpine, right next to Villa Cerro Castillo on the Carretera Austral (Austral Road).
Huemul Sanctuary
The Park was created in 2017 changing the status of a reserve established to protect the Huemul (South Andean Deer), which was once a common animal, but its numbers had been declining for years until reaching the level of endangered specie. Nowadays their situation has improved considerably and it’s not uncommon to see them where the road cross the mountain range in the park. Therefore, the park administrator calls on drivers to be careful with them #LentoPorLaFauna
When to Visit
Cerro Castillo National Park can be visited all year round. For hikers and eco/tourist the best time to visit it is from November to mid-April. Between the last days of sping and fall’s beginning, when the colors of the patagonian andean forest begin to turn red and yellow.Although Cerro Castillo it is recognized as a ski hill, among many other spots to discover as a backcountry skier in the park. The precipitiations that the area receive combined with the stong wind demand a reasonably fit and trekking experince to navigate above the vegetation line, where until january you may encounter snow. In recent years the park administration has provided information about the state of the trails, warning and even closing the park.
What to do
Patagonia Huts has designed two experiences to complement your visit to Patagonia National Park and get to know this amazing attraction, located next to the large lake known as General Carrera in Chile or Buenos Aires in Argentina.
