Parque Nacional Perito Moreno

The intensely colored sedimentary summits of the Sierra Colorada are the backdrop for the lake-laden, wind-whipped, and wildlife-rich high country of Parque Nacional Perito Francisco P. Moreno, named for the founder of Argentina’s national park system. Possibly the wildest of Patagonian parks, where Paleo-Indians covered cave walls with images of guanacos and human hands, it’s one major reason travelers are braving the rigors of La Cuarenta.

Besides the park itself, the Patagonia Land Trust has acquired 14,000 hectares in the adjacent area of El Rincón, which may be incorporated into the park.

Comprising 115,000 hectares of Patagonian steppe, sub-Antarctic forest, glacial lakes and fjords, and high Andean pastures, the park is 220 kilometers northwest of Gobernador Gregores via RP 25, RN 40, and RP 37. It is 310 kilometers southwest of the town of Perito Moreno via RN 40 and RP 37.

At 900 meters above sea level, the park’s base altitude is significantly higher than Los Glaciares, and its climate colder, wetter, and more unpredictable. Its highest summit is 2,254-meter Cerro Mié, but snow-capped 3,700-meter Cerro San Lorenzo, north of the park boundary, is the area’s highest peak.

In the drier eastern steppes, the dominant vegetation consists of bunch grasses known collectively as coirón; to the west, there’s a transitional wind-flagged, sub-Antarctic forest of lenga and ñire, the ubiquitous southern beeches (Nothofagus spp.) In more sheltered areas, there are dense and nearly pure lenga forests along the shores of Lago Azara and Lago Nansen.

Troops of guanacos patrol the steppes and even some of the high country where there is summer pasture; the huemul (Andean deer) also grazes the uplands in summer but spends the winter at lower altitudes. The puma is the alpha predator, but there are also smaller killers: red and grey foxes. The pilquín or chinchillón anaranjado (Lagidium wolffsohni) is a species of vizcacha unique to Santa Cruz Province and southernmost Chile.

The largest birds are the Andean condor and the flightless rhea, but other impressive species include the águila mora (Geranoaetus melanoleucus, black-chested buzzard eagle), the large owl ñacurutú (Bubo virginianus), Patagonian woodpeckers, and the carancho (crested caracara). Perito Moreno’s many lakes and streams support abundant wildfowl, including, flamingos, black-necked swans, grebes, wild geese, and steamer ducks. Unlike other Patagonian lakes, those within the park have remained free of introduced fish species.

back to top

Sights and Recreation
While Lago Burmeister is still worth a visit, the cave paintings have been closed to public access. There are large troops of guanacos on Península Belgrano, reached by an isthmus immediately west of Estancia Belgrano (which is not a tourist estancia).

One of the best day hikes is 1,434-meter Cerro León, a 2.5-hour climb immediately north of Estancia La Oriental, which offers the best easily accessible panoramas in the vicinity (though hikers must be prepared for the changeable weather). The nearby volcanic overhang known as the Cerro de los Cóndores is the flight school for condor chicks.

back to top

Other Practicalities
Rangers at Perito Moreno’s Centro de Informes, at the park entrance, provide maps and brochures, and offer a variety of guided hikes and visits; they can also be reached through the APN in Gobernador Gregores (tel./fax 02962/491477, pnmoreno@uvc.com.ar or pnmoreno@servisur.com.ar,); the postal address is Casilla de Correo 103, (9311) Gobernador Gregores.

Rental cars offer the greatest flexibility to get around, though it’s possible to hire a car and driver in Gobernador Gregores or the town of Perito Moreno. Hitching from the highway junction is feasible but by no means certain.

In season, Overland Patagonia’s four-day “safari” from Bariloche to El Calafate visits the park during the day and spends the night at Menelik; for details, see the sidebar “Get Your Flats on La Cuarenta.”