Laguna Diablo and Puesto Cagliero

Description

This trail is located in Estancia Los Huemules, a private natural reserve on the way to Lago del Desierto, 17km away from El Chaltén.

To get here you need to take a transfer from El Chaltén and after a 40 minutes ride you will arrive at the Visitors` and Interpretation Centre. There you will have to pay an entrance fee and they will give you information and recommendations to make the most of your day.

The trail begins at the Visitors´ Centre and heads north towards the Diablo Lagoon, you walk up alongside the Diablo river crossing the valley covered with native forest with beautiful views of the north face of the Fitz Roy massif.

The trail has a gentle slope and crosses the river by hanging bridges.

After about two and a half hours you will leave the shelter of the forest to enter the rocky area near the lagoon, while you see closer and closer the Cagliero glacier encased between the hills that descends to the lagoon.

The lagoon is of glacial origin, typically stretched and measures about 1800 metres long by 600 metres wide.

On the edge of this lagoon, and with an almost surreal presence in this remote area, is the mountain refuge Puesto Cagliero. This retreat allows you overnight stays in its comfortable facilities enjoying the unbeatable views of the glacier and the lagoon next to the warm heat of the fireplace.

Although this site is very little visited, it is at the same time very accessible, just a few kilometres away from the provincial route 41, where it is possible to observe the very rare presence of the huemul.