Lago Futalaufquen: Getting Your Bearings, Trails, and Park History

Villa Futalaufquen is a small settlement within the protected area of Parque Nacional Los Alerces. The Cordillera de los Andes borders it to the west. From Villa Futalaufquen, a 4 km drive leads to Puerto Limonao on Lago Futalaufquen; a hiking trail also runs along the lakeshore. This means you can choose between driving and hiking for a trip to the lake.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

From Esquel, Villa Futalaufquen can be reached via RN 259 and RP 71. The park’s administrative center is 52 km away. A daily bus connects Esquel with Villa Futalaufquen; it runs less frequently in the off-season. Check the current schedule before your trip. A road leads north from Villa Futalaufquen through Parque Nacional Los Alerces and connects the settlement with RN 258 in the direction of El Bolsón.

Villa Futalaufquen is home to the administrative center of Parque Nacional Los Alerces, the park ranger headquarters, and an information center. The visitor center has seasonal opening hours: from November until Easter Week, it is open Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. During the winter holidays in July and August, it is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. In the off-season, it is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check the opening hours before you arrive.

The information center provides information about trail conditions and availability and takes registrations for tours when required. Registration is recommended or required for several hikes; requirements vary. You can ask there for the latest trail conditions before setting out.

Lakeside Trails and Short Hikes

The trail from Villa Futalaufquen to Puerto Limonao is 4 km each way, is rated moderate, and follows the shore of Lago Futalaufquen. As a result, the hiking route is longer than the drive, which is also 4 km: the distance given for the walking route is one way, while the other distance refers to the drive from Villa Futalaufquen to Puerto Limonao.

A trail rated easy leads from Villa Futalaufquen to Cascada Tío Mindo; the stated walking time is 15 minutes. Another short option is the first section of the trail to Cascada Irigoyen. The waterfall is on Ruta Provincial No. 71, 6 km from Villa Futalaufquen. The first section passes through varied vegetation to a waterfall; the walking time is approximately 10 minutes each way. These time estimates refer to different trails and sections: 15 minutes is given for the trail to Tío Mindo, while the first section to Irigoyen takes around 10 minutes each way.

The accessible Pinturas Rupestres trail begins 1 km from the Villa Futalaufquen information center. It is 823 m long, with an estimated walking time of about 30 minutes each way. At the end, the trail leads to a rock overhang with rock paintings and continues to the Divisadero viewpoint. This route therefore combines access to the rock paintings with another trail destination, although a separate walking time for the viewpoint is not provided.

Longer Hikes and Park History

The route to Cerro Alto El Dedal is listed as taking seven hours on foot and is rated difficult. Registration is recommended at the Villa Futalaufquen information center. The route to Cerro Cocinero also starts in the vicinity of Villa Futalaufquen, 150 m from Arroyo Rañinto. It is 4.3 km each way, is rated difficult, and requires mandatory registration at the information center. These two hikes are therefore quite different from the short waterfall trails; check current trail conditions before setting out.

In the wider destination of Departamento Futaleufú, Parque Nacional Los Alerces was established in 1937 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. This broader context adds to the information for finding your way around Villa Futalaufquen: the settlement is within the protected area, while the trails and hikes mentioned vary in length, walking time, difficulty, and registration requirements.

Discover more destinations: Los Cipreses, La Aldea.

Back to the destination overview: Departamento Futaleufú.