Nevado Tres Cruces National Park

Located in Copiapo, Nevado Tres Cruces National Park occupies 59 thousand hectares, which are divided in two sectors. The first one has a surface of 47 thousand hectares and it includes the Maricunga salt mine, Santa Rosa Lagoon and Lamas River; while the second sector occupies 12 thousand hectares and it includes Negro Francisco Lagoon and Astaburuaga River.

To get to the park you can take the Camino Internacional, which connects Copiapo and Paipote to Portezuelo Santa Rosa, leading you to the lagoon of the same name. To access Negro Francisco you take the same route to Maricunga Salt mine and then take the road to Valle Ancho, Astaburuaga River and Negro Francisco.

The paths available to cover on foot are three: Río Gallina, Interpretación Ambiental and Quebrada Santa Rosa. In them you can see flora and fauna, typical of the area, which becomes more abundant as you travel south. You can cover the paths on foot or car, although you should ask for more information at the administration’s office about specific tracks.

There are also viewpoints in the national park, in Negro Francisco Lagoon and in Santa Rosa, where you can really appreciate the landscapes that mix desert areas and small oasis.

When it comes to recreational activities to occupy your time at the park, they are as follows:

Laguna Santa Rosa:

observation of flora and fauna, environmental education.

Salar de Maricunga:

observation of flora and fauna.

Laguna del Negro Francisco:

observation of flora and fauna, observation of cultural resources, environmental education.

Nevado Tres Cruces:

excursion, mountain climbing.

Azufre Volcano:

excursion, mountain climbing.

Astaburuaga River:

excursion, observation of flora and fauna, observation of cultural resources.

Gallina River:

excursion, mountain climbing, observation of flora and fauna, observation of cultural resources.

Lamas River:

excursion, observation of flora and fauna.

Quebrada Santa Rosa:

excursion, observation of flora and fauna.

Negro Francisco Lagoon:

environmental education.