Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park

Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, Chile's first National Park, was established in 1926 in honor of its namesake, Chilean politician and diplomat Vicente Pérez Rosales.

It covers an area of 253,780 ha (627,104 acres) in the Lakes Region (Región de Los Lagos), Llanquihue Province, within the Chilean Andes. The Park's western entrance is 64 km (40 mi) from Puerto Varas.

The National Park is divided into three sectors:

• Sector Osorno

• Sector Petrohué

• Sector Peulla

The National Park comprises some of the most sensational scenery in the Lakes Region: the emerald Todos Los Santos Lake, the thundering turquoise waters of the Petrohué Waterfalls, and the imposing peaks of the area's significant volcanoes (Osorno, Tronador, and Puntiagudo).

Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park forms part of the Bosques Templados Lluviosos de Los Andes Australes Biosphere Reserve.

The park and adjacent Puyehue National Park in Chile and Nahuel Huapi National Park and Lanín National Park in Argentina provide a continuous protected area of close to 15,000 sq km (5,800 sq mi).

The Park protects the body of Todos Los Santos Lake and a large part of its catchment. The outlet of the lake at the Petrohué locality gives rise to the Petrohué River. A short distance downstream, still within the limits of the Park, the Petrohué River flows through the Petrohue Waterfalls.

Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park also contains the eastern slope of Volcan Osorno, the southern slope of the Puntiagudo and the western slopes of the Tronador, with a maximum altitude of 3,491 m (11,453 ft). These mountains with year-round snow give a strong imprint on the landscape.

Walking/Hiking Trails

• Petrohué River Falls: recreational, 0.6 km, 30 minutes

• Los Enamorados: recreational, 0.9 km, 45 minutes

• Laguna Verde: recreational, 0.18 km, 20 minutes

• Cascada de Los Novios: recreational, 0.4 km, 25 minutes

• Los Pilleyos: recreational, 1.2 km, 45 minutes

• Carilemu: interpretive, 1.2 km, 45 minutes

• Paso Desolación: excursion, 10 km, 6 hours

• Rincón del Osorno: excursion, 5 km, 4 hours

• El Solitario: excursion, 6 km, 2 hours

• Laguna Margarita: excursion, 8 km, 8 hours

• Termas del Callao: excursion, 8 km, 5 hours

• Los Alerzales: excursion, 3.4 km, 4 hours

• Cayutué: excursion, 25 km, 5 hours

• Cerro Rigi: excursion, 8 km, 5 hours

• Paso Vuriloche: excursion, 40 km, 5 days (on horseback)

• Osorno Volcano: excursion, 6 km, 10 hours

Climate

The rainiest months are June, July and August, while the least rain is recorded in January, February and March. Therefore, vegetation growth extends over approximately six months of the year.

The average annual temperature at the inhabited levels, 3,000 to 4,000 mm (118 to 157 in) altitude, is around 11 to 12 °C (52 to 54 °F). Above 1,000 m (3,281 ft) altitude, snow persists for most of the year. During the warm summer, the average daily maximum temperature may be around 25 °C (77 °F).

Flora

The National Park's vegetation corresponds to the Valdivian temperate rainforests in its mountain variant—the composition of the forest changes with altitude and substratum. Generally, the most common and visible tree is coihue, Nothofagus dombeyi, in changing association with other species that include muermo, also known as ulmo, Eucryphia cordifolia and tineo, teñiu, Weinmannia trichosperma.

Fauna

About 30 species of mammals live in the Park. These species are shy and difficult to observe. This Park and the geographically contiguous Puyehue, Nahuel Huapi and Lanin parks provide habitat to the puma, Puma concolor. The local subspecies are relatively small, usually not more than 30 or 40 kg, and prey on Pudu puda, a tiny deer of solitary and reclusive forest habitat.

The Park is home to two species of marsupial mammals. Monito del monte, Dromiciops gliroides, has a semi-arboreal habit. The other marsupial in the Park is the long-nosed shrew opossum, Ryncholestes raphanurus. In addition, around 80 species of birds, both full-time residents and seasonal migrants, are seen in the Park.

Todos los Santos Lake

Todos Los Santos Lake (Lago Todos Los Santos) or "All Saints Lake" is situated in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile, 96 km (60 mi) northeast of the regional capital Puerto Montt and 76 km (47 mi) east of Puerto Varas. It lies within the boundaries of Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park.

The lake has a surface area of 178.5 sq km (69 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 337 m (1,100 ft). The catchment is primarily covered with old-growth Valdivian temperate rainforests.

The present form of the lake is the result of glacial and volcanic processes. As recently as 20,000 years ago, the Todos Los Santos Lake basin was filled by a large glacier that did not withdraw until approximately 10,000 years ago.

At that point, the area was still a glacial basin with rivers flowing through it. The lake did not form until lava flows from the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes formed a dam across the lower part of the valley, trapping the water from the rivers and gradually forming the lake.

The main tributary of the lake is the Río Peulla/Río Negro, next to the Peulla locality. Its outflow at the Petrohué locality gives rise to the Petrohué River. At a short distance from the Petrohué locality, the river flows through the Petrohué Waterfalls.

The lake may appear green, blue, or silver depending on the cloud cover and weather on a given day. The majority of the greenish tint comes from glacial meltwater containing mineral debris.

Petrohué Waterfalls

Petrohué Waterfalls (Saltos del Petrohué) is a chute-type waterfall in the upper reaches of the Petrohué River and a short distance downstream from the source of this river: Todos Los Santos Lake.

This waterfall is inside the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, close to the road leading to the Petrohue locality on Todos Los Santos Lake.

The waterfall is supported by basaltic lava (andesite) from the Osorno Volcano between Todos Los Santos and Llanquihue Lake.

The average water flow of these falls is 270 cu m (9,500 cu ft) per second, but it can be much more significant during the rainy season. The water, decanted in the lake, is usually clear with a green hue.