Parque Patagonia Argentina

Cañadon Pinturas Portal

From here, you can plan your journey through the Cañadon Pinturas Portal.

Hiking

With over fifty kilometers of self-guided trails, the Cañadón Pinturas Portal is an excellent spot for wildlife viewing. Serving as one of the main access points to the Cueva de las Manos site, it features a lodge, serviced campgrounds, parking, and a small general store.

Tierra de colores trail

Distance: 2,6 km

Duración: 1 h

Difficulty: medium

Koi Trail

Distance: 4.8 km

Duración: 1 h 45 min

Difficulty: medium

La Vertiente Trail

Distance: 2.7 km

Duración: 40 min

Difficulty: low

Cañadón Pinturas Trail

Distance: 4 km

Duración: 1 h

Difficulty: low

La Guanaca Trail

Distance: 6 km

Duración: 1 h 45 min

Difficulty: medium

Los Balcones Trail

Distance: 1.2 km

Duración: 20 min

Difficulty: low

Bajada de los Toldos Trail

Distance: 1.7 km

Duración: 1 h

Difficulty: high

Cueva de las Manos Trail

Distance: 1 km

Duración: 45 min

Difficulty: high

Puesta de Piedra Trail

Distance: 3 km

Duración: 1 h

Difficulty: low

Huella de Gradín Trail

Distance: 12 km

Duración: 4 h

Difficulty: high

Other Attractions and Activities

The park’s portals provide convenient starting points for exploring all its attractions.

Astrotourism: Star Observatory

This sheltered space is designed for observing the night sky while protected from wind and cold. Free to use, it is accessible via a trail behind the La Posta de los Toldos lodge.

Built with local materials, the spiral-shaped structure features four reflecting pools aligned with the Southern Cross.

Astrotourism: Interpretation Center and Planetarium

The Interpretation Center and Planetarium, constructed to the highest ecological standards, offers a permanent exhibition on the region’s geological formation, species evolution, biodiversity challenges, and the origins of nature. Visits conclude in the planetarium, where projections help interpret the Patagonian sky. From the parking area, visitors can access the Planetarium, surrounding trails, and the La Señalada area.

Cueva de las Manos Provincial Park

Donated by Rewilding Argentina in 2018, this protected area is home to the Cueva de las Manos archaeological site, one of South America’s oldest rock art sites with paintings dating back more than 9,500 years. The artworks provide insight into past human life, depicting guanacos, rheas, and armadillos – likely staples of their diet. The site can be reached on foot from the Cañadón Pinturas Portal via the Bajada de los Toldos trail or from Route 40 through two vehicle entrances. Guided visits are required, and an entrance fee applies. More information at www.cuevadelasmanos.org.

Alero Charcamata

This full-day excursion is available by guide and prior reservation, arranged in Perito Moreno or at the La Posta de los Toldos lodge. The trip includes 4x4 transport, a guide, and a packed lunch. After traveling thirty kilometers through striking landscapes and crossing the Pinturas River, visitors arrive at Charcamata Canyon. The hike to the Alero (approximately one hour, low difficulty) crosses a small stream before reaching the impressive cave shelter, with an eighty-meter-wide opening and forty-meter height. It contains well-preserved rock paintings over 5,000 years old, highlighting the guanaco – a central food source for the region’s nomadic peoples. With no railings or barriers, visitors are asked to explore the site with care.

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Where to Stay

Patagonia Park offers a range of lodging options to suit all visitors.

La Posta de Los Toldos Lodge

The lodge features nine rooms with private bathrooms, cozy common areas, a restaurant, a wood-burning kitchen in a historic outpost, and fire-pit areas.
Guests can hire guides for wildlife watching and enjoy the Patagonian sky from the nearby star observatory, which is free to use.

The lodge also manages Camping El Mollar, a paid campground with six private enclosures for vehicles. Each enclosure includes a fire pit and tent space, and a central shared building provides a lounge with a wood stove, dish-washing area, and bathrooms with showers.
Open from 8:00 to 22:00.

Reservations: [email protected]
Instagram / Facebook: @lapostadelostoldos
Web: https://www.lapostadelostoldos.com

Del Río Campground

Situated in the Pinturas River valley, this free campground has bathrooms and four tent platforms sheltered from the wind by a row of poplars.

Reservations should be made fifteen days in advance via email ([email protected]) or on a first-come, first-served basis.

La Señalada Campground

Located along the main road to the Pinturas River canyon, La Señalada offers twelve wind-sheltered tent enclosures, a shared fire-pit, outdoor tables and seating, and bathrooms.

A former ranch outpost converted into a general store provides packed lunches, hot water for mate, drinks, and regional products. Open from 8:00 to 21:00. 

This is a paid campground and reservations are required fifteen days in advance via email ([email protected]) or on a first-come, first-served basis.

La Confluencia Campground

At the junction of two canyons in the Pinturas River valley, this free campground has six individual tent platforms (three on each side of the river) and bathrooms.

Reservations must be made fifteen days in advance via email ([email protected]) or on a first-come, first-served basis. Access is on foot only.

Nearby Towns

Perito Moreno

Located along National Route 40, Perito Moreno is the ideal stop for refueling, shopping, and accessing ATMs.
 
Perito Moreno Tourism Office
Av. San Martín, corner of Gendarmería Nacional

+54 9 297 418 1910
[email protected]

Bajo Caracoles

Located along National Route 40, Bajo Caracoles is 75 km south of the Cañadón Pinturas Portal.

Other portals

The park has four portals, each offering hiking trails of varying difficulty and campgrounds for overnight stays.

Cueva de las Manos Portal

El Sauco Portal

La Ascención Portal