Four Itchy Feet

February 7, 2025. Futaleufú Hydroelectric Plant, Trevelin, Argentina.

Today, we visited Los Alerces National Park once again. This time, we paid half price using our previous entry tickets from yesterday. We entered the park at the entrance near Trevelin, an area dedicated to the Futaleufú Hydroelectric Plant. Most of the visit consisted of touring the land and water used to generate electricity.

Upon entering, we decided to take on the only trail in the area, Sendero to Laguna El Toro. This is a 6.8-mile round trip with 1,775 feet of elevation gain. We rate the trail as moderate to difficult, with steep climbs through loose rocks and slippery dirt. We recommend wearing pants, as most of the trail is narrow and overgrown. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views of Cerro Situación to the north and the snow-covered mountains of Chile to the west.

Our arrival at Laguna El Toro was underwhelming. The lake itself is beautiful, with clear and expansive waters, but access to the shoreline was very limited. We quickly sat by the shore to eat a banana and a peanut butter sandwich—our usual hiking lunch—before deciding to head back.

The rest of our visit focused on the hydroelectric plant. We drove up a twisting gravel road to the retaining wall, where strong winds howled around us. We stood in awe at how mankind can stop billions of gallons of water and reroute it for energy production. We continued on to examine the pipe that channels water to the generators and then observed the discharge point, where the water is released after powering the turbines.

Much of the area can be explored by car, with short hikes to retaining ponds, cascades, and other points of interest. While this part of the park is beautiful, we found it less impressive than our previous visit near Esquel. However, if you have the time, it is worth the trip—especially when taking advantage of the second-day discount on park admission.