Map

From Lake Huechulafquen to lake Paimún See map

Huechulaufquen is a beautiful lake for enjoying the beach, camping, fishing, eating a delicious barbecue. There are 27 km from Junín and there are daily taxis and buses that take you there (morning and afternoon).

On the way towards the lake you will find a psicultura station, a Mapuche community, camping areas, the mouth of famous Chimehuin river, and beyond, Puerto Canoa and the union of Paimún and Huechulaufquen.

Directions

From Junín de los Andes north on National Route 234, do about 4 kilometers to the Chimehuin river. Before crossing the bridge, turn left on Route 61. After about 4 km on this route is the pscicultura center Truchas del Sur SRL, where conduct research on animal species and their respective management to better use are perfomed, preventing it this way, negative impacts on the ecosystem that home them. It is an important center of production of fingerlings that is responsible for maintaining stable populations of trout in rivers and lakes in the province of Neuquén. There it can also be seen llamas in captivity, coipos or river nutria and other native species.

View of Lake Huechulafquen. Photo courtesy of Enrique Dagnino of photo album www.patagonia.com.ar

Continuing the tour, 22 km from Junín de los Andes, we arrive at the eastern end of Lake Huechulafquen and Lanin National Park entrance. There is also the mouth of the river Chimehuín, which is an attraction of a substantial, internationally recognized as one of the best places to practice sport fishing in the fly-casting method.

Another place to visit in the Huechulafquen's area is Hueyelthue Valley in gently undulating terrain, ideal for skiing. In this valley you can access by the stream of the same name.

On the north bank is located the Mapuche Community Cañicul, and there are many free camping areas properly marked, camping sites, a grill and a room where you can taste typical local food.

There are three lodges that remain open during the fishing season, one of which offers service restaurant open to the public.

Many beauties are framed by this lake and by the Andean mountains in which highlights the Lanín volcano. Which is a dormant volcano of 3776 meters high conical, consisting of basalts of different ages, difficult to distinguish from each other by receiving younger eruptions. The summit is covered with snow and ice all year round and forms a cap of several tens of meters. The predominant tree species are beech, ñire and pehuen or araucaria.

Port Canoa

56 km from Junín de los Andes is the Port Canoa (day camp) which houses the interpretive nature trail, "El Bosque", which implies an average of 30 minutes walk through the different stages of development and species of native flora and fauna.

You can also find in the place a grill and a pier from where excursions by lakes Huechulafquen and Epulafquen are done.

Lake Paimún ("a lot of beard" or it is also interpreted as "quiet run")

From Port Canoa and going 3 km along Provincial Route 61 you arrive at the area called La Unión, a narrow narrowness of calm water that connects lakes Huechulafquen and Paimún. The latter is a water surface of 16 km² surrounded by snowcapped mountains and lush forests inhabited by a diverse fauna rich in red deer, foxes, wild boars, hares, otters, etc.

Its north coasts are flat, dark volcanic sand and very good for enjoying the beach, while in the east there are cliffs. This point was formerly used as way from Chile by the south of the volcano Lanín.

The whole area from Huechulafquen to Paimún is ideal for hiking, camping and fishing. A point of the Patagonian mountain range that should not be missed.