La Señalada: a beloved stop in the heart of Patagonia Park
In northwest Santa Cruz, La Señalada has become a beloved stop for those exploring Patagonia Park. Between freshly made empanadas, hiking trails, yurts, and star-filled skies, the place has expanded its offerings each season and welcomes visitors from around the world.
Located a few kilometers from Cueva de las Manos, La Señalada offers a respite in the middle of the steppe. Today, between its campground, yurts, and small country store, many visitors to Patagonia Park and the Planetarium find something more than just a place to take shelter.
Most people arrive after hiking the trails and spending hours exploring the park. The La Señalada country store emerges from the steppe, along with the aroma of freshly made food.
“I always say people come with a hiker’s hunger,” says Valeria Visconti, who has worked there for the past three years.
As she prepares food, conversations unfold – where visitors are coming from, which trails they’ve hiked, whether they’ve already visited Cueva de las Manos, or how long they’ve been traveling.
In that moment, the place becomes a point of connection as well.
“It’s like inviting them into my home,” she says. “We chat while I cook and share what each of us has experienced in the park.” The feeling she tries to convey is simple and familiar, so that anyone who arrives feels welcomed. “I always say I want it to feel like when you arrive at your grandmother’s house and she already has something ready for you to eat.”
Some of the foods served at the store have become a signature of the place. The empanadas are the clear favorite, especially for those continuing onto more trails. But there are also milanesa sandwiches on homemade focaccia bread, savory pies, vegetarian options, choripán, and other simple, freshly made dishes. The budines and alfajores are also made here and supplied to other café stands throughout the park.
Everything has a homemade touch that surprises those who make their way to this corner of the steppe.
A place on the rise
La Señalada has also changed a great deal in recent years. When Vale first arrived, the campground was very basic. There were only six wind shelters for pitching tents, and no showers.
The following year the site began to expand. More wind shelters were added, and hot-water showers were installed – an addition that quickly encouraged more visitors to stay overnight.
Today, the space includes nine wind shelters for tents, parking for campers, and a campground with hot showers that makes it much more comfortable.
The most recent growth came with the addition of three yurts equipped with beds and bedding. Designed for visitors who arrive without camping gear, they allow people to sleep in the middle of the steppe without needing to bring a tent or sleeping bag.
These developments are also reflected in the visitors who come through.
Travelers from many countries pass through La Señalada – Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy – but increasingly also people from nearby towns such as Perito Moreno, Los Antiguos, Caleta Olivia, Comodoro Rivadavia, Las Heras, and Pico Truncado.
On weekends, they sometimes organize open-fire meals – lamb or chicken stews, capturing the spirit of the place. “Food always brings people together,” Vale sums up.
The story behind the store
Three years ago, Vale’s life looked very different. She lived in Buenos Aires and worked at a restaurant in Palermo. She was going through a period of personal challenges, when a friend told her about Patagonia and the possibility to join a conservation project there. The idea of traveling south began to feel like an opportunity.
“When they said Patagonia, I said yes,” she recalls. “The truth is I knew very little about the project and about this side of Patagonia – about the steppe. But I took the leap.”
That’s how she arrived at La Señalada, along with others who were starting their work at Patagonia Park. Over time, the open landscape, the wind, and the distance from urban life create a very particular feeling.
“There’s something this place changed in me,” she says. “The steppe allowed me to quiet the noise and connect with myself.” She adds with a laugh, “Out here, we’re each other’s neighbors.”
Staying at La Señalada
La Señalada’s location is also part of its charm. Those who choose to spend the night discover a new side to the park. After a day on the trails, walking through the steppe, or visiting Cueva de las Manos, the rhythm of the park shifts and La Señalada becomes a place to slow down.
In this part of the steppe there is no light pollution. The sky fills with stars and the landscape changes completely. “Sometimes you don’t know which landscape is bigger – the earth or the sky,” says Vale.
For many visitors, that experience becomes one of the reasons they return. “The steppe has a very deep silence,” she reflects. “And when you stop to listen to it, something very special happens.”
Perhaps that’s why those who pass through La Señalada often stay a little longer than they planned. Between the open steppe, homemade food, and star-filled nights, the place ends up becoming much more than just a stop along the way.