Hike in Nahuelbuta NP

By Wayne Bernhardson

It's not often you can call a national park dramatically undervisited, but that's certainly the case at Nahuelbuta, and the solitude is wonderful. In the coast range west of the town of Angol, this park serves up some fantastic medium-length loop trails through the forest; from the highest summits (around 5,000 feet), numerous Andean volcanoes are visible to the west and south, along with tons of birds. The park is also a sanctuary for the monkey puzzle tree, also known as the paragua (umbrella) for the shape of its crown. Reasonably accessible, Nahuelbuta is open all year, though it can get a dusting of snow in winter, when the steep dirt road can get muddy. There's a drive-in campground with secluded sites.

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