A 15-minute trail to Cascada Tío Mindo, an accessible path to rock paintings, and challenging hikes that take several hours show how varied a visit to Lago Futalaufquen can be. Villa Futalaufquen is the starting point for many of the routes described here: the small settlement lies within the protected area of Parque Nacional Los Alerces. The park’s administrative center, the park rangers’ headquarters, and an information center are located there. Villa Futalaufquen is also considered the first strategic stop on a circuit through the national park.

Getting to the Park and Finding Your Way

From Esquel, you can reach Villa Futalaufquen via RN 259 and RP 71. The park’s administrative center is 52 kilometers from Esquel. A daily bus connects Esquel with Villa Futalaufquen; it runs less frequently in the off-season. If you plan to travel by bus, check the current schedule before setting out. A road also leads north from Villa Futalaufquen through Parque Nacional Los Alerces, connecting the settlement with RN 258 toward El Bolsón.

The visitor center has seasonal opening hours: from November until Holy 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, the visitor center 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 hours again before your visit. The information center provides updates on trail conditions and availability and takes bookings for tours that require advance registration.

Choose Trails by Duration and Difficulty

For a shorter walk, a trail described as easy leads from Villa Futalaufquen to Cascada Tío Mindo; the stated walking time is 15 minutes. Another option is the accessible Pinturas Rupestres trail. Its trailhead is one kilometer from the information center, the route is 823 meters long, and the walking time is approximately 30 minutes each way. The trail leads to a rock overhang with rock paintings and continues to the Divisadero viewpoint. The two destinations therefore differ both in the stated time required and in what you can see along the way.

From Villa Futalaufquen, you can drive four kilometers to Puerto Limonao on Lago Futalaufquen. On foot, a separate four-kilometer route each way follows the shore of Lago Futalaufquen; it is rated moderate. Driving and hiking are therefore two different ways to reach Puerto Limonao. The hike is an option if you want to take the stated walking distance and moderate difficulty into account when planning.

For a longer hike with a high difficulty rating, the route to Cerro Alto El Dedal is listed as taking seven hours; registration is available at the Villa Futalaufquen information center. The route description appears in an older official park guide; check current trail conditions locally. The trail to Cerro Cocinero is also rated highly difficult. Its starting point is near Villa Futalaufquen, 150 meters from Arroyo Rañinto. The route is 4.3 kilometers each way, and registration at the information center is mandatory.

Cascada Irigoyen is also close to Villa Futalaufquen: it is on Ruta Provincial No. 71, six kilometers from the settlement. The first section takes approximately ten minutes each way through varied vegetation to a waterfall. This offers more options with shorter stated walking times alongside the longer mountain hikes. As with Cascada Tío Mindo, the trail description comes from an older official park guide; check current trail conditions locally.

About Departamento Futaleufú

The wider travel destination of Departamento Futaleufú is home to Parque Nacional Los Alerces. The park was established in 1937 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. To reach its southern area, travel from Esquel via RN 259, Trevelin, and the road to Complejo Hidroeléctrico Futaleufú; this road is 45 kilometers long. This is a separate access route to the southern area of the protected area, not the route to Villa Futalaufquen.

Discover more destinations: Los Cipreses, La Aldea.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Departamento Futaleufú.