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The park has a surface area of 39,255
hectares (86,361 acres), of which 20,000 correspond to the alerce
forest. Situated to the south of the Chapo lake, in a mountainous
zone, the park is one of the most important refuges of the alerce,
a species which is in danger of extinction.
With an irregular geography and numerous
lagoons, the most typical species of trees, mammals, birds, and
fish of southern Chile reside in the park.
With quick and easy access, it is equipped
with various trails which allow you to visit the most beautiful
and characteristic places in this zone. The best time to visit is
between the months of November and March, when the climatic conditions
are more temperate.
To make the visit safer and more informative,
the park is equipped with four guard posts, each with its respective
park rangers, in different sections of the park. There are also
three refuges (shelters) for those who want to spend more time exploring
all the trails.
NATURAL
HERITAGE
The park is located on firm, Andean
ground, whose geography has been determined by tectonic and glacial
processes. It boasts deep valleys with almost vertical mountain
sides and numerous lakes and lagoons which are dispersed throughout
a wide range of altitudes.
The altitudes of the park's hills range
from 1,200 to 1,500 m (3,936 to 4,920 ft) above sea level, but the
Calbuco Volcano (2,003 m or 6,569 ft. above sea level) to the
north stands out. It is located in neighboring Llanquihue National
Reserve and is a characteristic element of the landscape.
The dominant feature is Chapo lake.
The Southern river, as well as the Lenca and Chaicas rivers flow
into this lake, draining a large area of the park. In the interior
there are more than 50 small and medium-sized lagoons scattered
throughout this uneven geography, the main ones being the Sargazo,
Chaiquenes, Triángulo, Fría, Montaña and Campaña.
To get to the Sargazo and Fría lagoons,
you must go through the Correntoso sector; and to access the Chaiquenes
and Triángulo lagoons, traverse the Chaicas sector.
The dominating form of vegetation is
the forest itself, made up of various types of alerce
trees, the Magellan coigüe and lenga. The alerce forests
cover almost 20,000 hectares (44,000 acres) of the park, and grow
preferably at altitudes of 400 m (1,312 ft) above sea level in some
places and around 700 m (2,296 ft) in others. The alerce, although
the dominant species, is seen growing among other trees such as
the Chiloé coigüe, tineo, mañío and canelo.
The evergreen forest grows from sea
level to altitudes of 900 m (2,952 ft) above sea level, varying
its composition according to the general exposure of that part of
the mountain. Here you can find species like the tepa, the coigüe
and the ulmo. There are also many lianas (vines) and trepadoras
(climbing vines), helechos (ferns), quila (type of bamboo) thickets
and herbs that grow on the forest floor.
The Magellan Coigüe forest is located
800 m (2,624 ft) above sea level, covering the summit of the mountains
in the western area of the park. Here you can also find a species
of lenga which grows in the form of a shrub. It thrives in the high
altitudes up to where vegetation reaches its limit.
The pudú or Chilean venado, pumas,
güiñas,
grey fox, chingues, vizcachas and little mountain monkeys
are amongst the mammals you can observe.
The birds that stand out are the cóndor,
magellanic woodpecker, huet-huet, ringed kingfisher, bay-winged
hawk, royal duck,
upland goose, tufted tit-tyrant and the Chilean pigeon.
And among the most common fish are the peladilla or farionela, percatrucha,
and brown and rainbow trout.
HISTORICAL
OR CULTURAL HERITAGE
No specific studies have been done
of the area in relation to indigenous communities, as apparently
the park lacks significant cultural resources that might have come
from other surrounding areas.
Nevertheless, in 1999 a "Dalca"
was found next to the park in Lake Chapo, a primitive boat used
by the Huilliches at the end of the sixteenth century.
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