Lake District Park Chile

Lake District Park Chile: PN Vicente Perez Rosales, located 50 kms (31 miles) east of Puerto Varas, is one of Chile's many beautiful national parks. (And if you're not already a rock climber or kayaker, this park might make you reconsider!)

Best time to Travel to South Chile? The shoulder seasons! Fewer tourists, lower prices. I traveled here in Spring (November), hoping to get clear, sunny weather, and I was lucky; The views were amazing! Travel to this area peaks in Summer so (December and January) are the busiest times. Here are some pictures taken on Osorno.

Osorno Ski Hill in PN Vicente Perez Rosales Park Chile

Volcano Osorno's perfect peak is a magnet for skiers and sightseers!

At Ensenada, just inside the park boundary, the annual rainfall is about 2500 mm (98 inches).

The peaks receive closer to 4000 mm (157 inches), most of it snow.

Since it rains about 200 days a year in this area, the peaks are visible only a third of the time.

Even on clear days, morning mists obscure the tops, often until midmorning.

If you can, time your visit accordingly for the best views. The Teski ski centre is a new one here as of 2000. The first one, c1940, closed after the earthquake in 1960. In the interim, only the chair lift was operating.

Lake Llanquihue view from Osorno ski hill Chile National Park

A wide gravel road leads up Osorno to the ski area and viewpoint, and posed no problem for a small car (no 4WD needed in the late spring).

That's Calbuco Volcano in the background, Lago Llanquihue below, and to the left, just out of view, is the Petrohue River and waterfalls, then Lago Todos Los Santos.

Long-ago lava flows from Osorno severed part of Lago Llanquihue to make the Petrohue River and Lagos Todos Los Santos.

Step on the loose volcanic gravel in the foreground: It feels like ball bearings made into a mousse -- more air than rock.

A Slag Heap of Lava At Osorno ~ Chile Travel Destination

Lava 'gravel' covers the landscape here, about 50 feet down from the chalet area, no flowers or grasses in sight.

Several of these large rocky lumps dotted the open areas off the roadway.

The 626,000-acre PN Vicente Perez Rosales, established in 1926, was Chile's first.

There are now 32 national parks alone that account for about 10 percent of Chile's land area, as well as national reserves, national monuments and private tourism areas.

Chile's National Parks are handled by Conaf (in Spanish).

Chile Lake District ~ Little Lava Lizard at Osorno Volcano

This flash of greenish-black lizard caught my eye as it scurried in and out of the crevices of the large lava pile above.

My guide told of an incident some years earlier on this same mountain road we were on, before it had been widened.

He was heading down from the top, hugging the outer edge to make room for the uphill traffic when the outside tires sunk in the soft gravel.

His car went rolling over and down the slopes. Luckily, he was not seriously injured, but had enough of a scare that, since then, he's always travelled by cab.

MORE Vicente Perez Rosale Park, Petrohue Waterfalls, Volcan Osorno . . .