Chile’s Huerquehue National Park:

Located in close proximity to the adventure hub of Pucon, Huerquehue National Park, is a beautiful place to spend the day or even camp overnight. The trails in the park provide epic views of the volcanos, lakes, fauna, and insane beauty of this region of Chile. Visiting the Huerquehue National Park during your stay in Pucon is a must do, and I highly recommend spending a night at the campground if your schedule permits.

Camping in Huerquehue was a peaceful escape from Pucon. I chose to stay at Camping Olga, which is located right on the lake. This allowed me to complete both the San Sebastian and Los Lagos trails. I would highly recommend camping in the park because it allows you to beat the crowds and experience the trails all to yourself.

Viewpoint from Los Lagos Trail

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How to Arrive

Buses leave daily from the Caburga Bus station in Pucon. The buses leave at 8:30, 13:00, and 16:00, and return back to Pucon at 14:10, 17:10 and 19:30 (high season). When I visited in February, the cost of a return ticket was 4,000 pesos. I recommend showing up early so you do not have to stand for the 1 hour ride to the park.

The bus drops you off at the entrance to the park and the fee to enter is 5,000 pesos. Here you sign in and gain information on the trails.

Sunset at Camping Olga

The Best Trekking Options

The Los Lagos and San Sebastian trail are both amazing options, and they offer completely different scenery of the park. If you can, do both of the hikes! It is hard for me to even say which trail I prefered because they were very different. Here are some details on each trek.

Los Lagos: Morning Reflection

Los Lagos Trail

The Lakes Trail is the “easier” of the two options and is highlighted by a circuit that brings you to breathtaking views of the lakes. Expect this trail to take about 5 hours. The trail begins 2 km from the entrance of Huerquehue National Park. The first section is an uphill climb through the most luscious, green forest I have ever seen. This section is about 4 km and ultimately brings you to the top of the ridge where the lakes begin. There are 2 miradors on the way up, as well as 2 different waterfall trails that branch off of the main path. This section of the trail is a true cardio workout and thigh burner, but once you make it to the top, the trail flattens out for the loop around the lakes.

The first lake you will come to is called Lago Chico. I got some amazing reflection shots from this lake. After, the trail winds along the lake and brings you to Laguna Verde. This lake is breathtaking! I arrived a little before 11 AM and there was not a soul around. I swam, ate and napped in peaceful tranquility.

Diving into Laguna Verde

I unfortunately did not have enough time to complete the whole circuit of lakes but from Laguna Verde you can follow the trail to Laguna Los Patos and Lago el Toro.

The Los Lagos route is the better option is you do not have all day, and if you are not in as good of physical shape. It is still hard, but not nearly as challenging as the San Sebastian trail. This trek is better than San Sebastian on a cloudy day because you can see all the beauty even when the visibility is worse.

Huerquehue National Park: Sendero San Sebastian

The San Sebastian Trail

If you are in the mood for some good exercise, the San Sebastian trail is beyond worth the strenuos climb! Its about a 14 km (9 mile) roundtrip hike up to the mirador. Along the way you will pass through dense forest, grassy meadows, and scramble over big rocks to keep the trail. The views are amazing along the way, and as you climb higher they only get better! From the peak, you can see multiple volcanos, beautiful blue lakes, and luscious green forest down below.

Views from the top!

I was blown away by the views from the top! I have never seen so much vibrant green and blue.

Make sure to bring a nice lunch to relax and take in the views at the top. I also recommend hiking poles for the steep descent down to the bottom.

The San Sebastian trek is best on a sunny clear day, and it will often be closed during a storm or following a big rain.

Huerquehue National Park: Camping Olga

Camping Olga

The best way to experience Huerquehue National Park is to spend the night at one of the campgrounds or refugios. I highly recommend Camping Olga because it has its own private beach on the lake, a good communal vibe, fire pit and relatively private camp sites. The benefit of staying in the park is getting to do both of the treks without paying extra entrance fees or transportation costs. In addition, you will beat the crowds on the second day as long as you start before 9:30 AM. This is ideal for getting to enjoy the beautiful nature in peaceful tranquility.

Cost: 12,000 pesos for 2 people, 10,000 for 1 person.

You can reserve a spot at the campground here. 

Huerquehue is a wonderful experience no matter what way you choose to enjoy the park! If you are visiting Pucon, definitely add visiting Huerquehue National Park to your agenda.