Villa Nueva: Riverside Landscapes and Mining History

Villa Nueva combines a striking riverside landscape with traces of its mining past and a distinctive chapel. The Río Castaño runs through the town; the bridge at the entrance offers a beautiful view of the landscape. Extensive poplar forests are also part of the scenery. Bird species found in Villa Nueva include calandrias and thrushes.

Landscape and Mining History

Large sections of the Castaño Viejo mining complex have been preserved in Villa Nueva. They bear witness to the former glory of a mining era. Gold, zinc, and lead were extracted at the historic Castaño Viejo mine—a connection between the town and its mineral resources that brings the industrial background of the preserved facilities to life.

Mining heritage is also part of the cultural legacy around Villa Nueva: the ruins of the El Castaño Viejo and Castaño Nuevo mines were declared historical, cultural, and educational heritage by the municipal council of Calingasta. These sites add to the perspective on mining history offered by the preserved facilities in Villa Nueva.

The Chapel and Regional Materials

The Chapel of Nuestra Señora de Andacollo is located on Provincial Route 412 in Villa Nueva. Wood and stone define its design; the combination of characteristic regional materials gives it appealing architecture. The chapel is also part of the Ruta de los Siete Templos (Route of the Seven Churches), a religious route. Villa Nueva thus brings together different cultural elements: the chapel’s design and the history of mining.

Activities in Villa Nueva

Visitors who want to explore the mountain landscapes can rent horses and be accompanied by local baqueanos (guides). Check in advance whether horse rentals are currently available. Timbirimbas and Guanaqueros are fishing spots associated with Villa Nueva; camping is also available in Guanaqueros. Here too, it is advisable to check current availability before your trip.

In the Calingasta Department

As regional context, El Leoncito National Park is located in the Department of Calingasta and covers 89,900 hectares. Its landscape includes plains between sierras, high plateaus, mountain ridges, and small high-altitude oases. This diversity shapes the wider natural region of the Calingasta Department.

Trails in the department also vary in length, duration, and difficulty. The trail to Cerro Leoncito is 8 kilometers long, takes about 3 hours, and has a moderate-to-high difficulty level. Shorter is the 500-meter trail to Cascada El Rincón: it leads from the parking area to a natural viewpoint overlooking the waterfall and has a low difficulty level. Check trail conditions before setting out on a hike.

The La Cantera Geological Trail offers a 4-kilometer route and an additional 6-kilometer route of moderate difficulty; ancient petroglyphs can be found along the trail. Paisajes de Agua is a 1-kilometer trail of low difficulty alongside the El Leoncito stream. Along the way, visitors may spot wildlife such as guinea pigs, foxes, various bird species, and guanacos; pumas may also be present, but sightings are not guaranteed. The trails can thus be distinguished by their stated length and difficulty.

Discover more destinations: San Juan, San Agustín De Valle Fértil.

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