Parque Nacional Huerquehue

This hike turned me into a hiker! 😀 Such a wonderful experience. There are different trails you can do - we did the trail to Paillaco. The place is easy to get to via bus from Pucon. The hike itself has different sections to it, which are all very distinct. And finally when you get to the top you have a great panaramic view of all the volcanoes 🌋. Also lots of super friendly people on the walk. It’s really well signposted so can’t get lost. Recommended to take food like sandwiches(especially some sweet fruit) and water.

We got there and back by public bus. The ride takes about an hour. We hiked to the Uerquehue Lagoon, but we didn’t have enough time to complete the full loop because we needed to catch the bus back. In total, we did 18 km with about 1,000 m of elevation gain in 7 hours. I was expecting more volcano views, but there’s only one real viewpoint. Overall, it was fine, nothing exceptional. The 10 USD entrance fee for foreigners feels overpriced. Considering the high fee, I’d rate the place 5 out of 10. Unfortunately, there’s no real infrastructure you would expect for a paid entrance. There aren’t even benches near the bus stop or water fountains at the entrance. You also can’t buy water or snacks when you exit the park.

The road becomes dirt and gravel for the last 8km. I was able to do it in a crappy Chinese car, so not a big deal but it might be tough in wet weather. Hiking trails to the falls were very muddy and partially covered in melting snow. It's mostly a forest trail without a ton of great views, but still peaceful. The ranger at the entry gate was nice and kind and patiently explained the trail conditions to me in a language I pretended to understand.

Great hike…did 15 years ago as a multi day trek….great views…trail very steep! Only for relatively fit hikers….was a lot easier 15 years ago!

The park itself is gorgeous with its araucaria trees, lakes, waterfalls and views. But the bus system spoils part of the experience: It's a shame that the return is planned so early, at 5:10PM, way before the park closes. So it leaves barely seven hours for a long hike, especially if doing the full lakes loop. It forces one to rush throughout the day, and it would be much more comfortable if the return bus was instead planned after 6. I hope this can be changed in the future.

The entrance fee is as steep as the trails at CLP 10,400 per person! Why discourage people from getting into nature and exercising? I thought governments are supposed to encourage healthy living. The staff are helpful with lots of information on arrival at the entry point. After the lengthy queuing and ticket screening process, we were finally able to start our hike. This has to be one of the most beautiful forests on the planet. However, the trails were in bad condition. The wooden steps were too high, which led to people walking around it’s sides, causing erosion which is what the steps were meant to prevent. Due to the rain, the trails were very muddy and slippery. For the expensive entry price, you’d expect better trails.

A wonderful experience from start to finish. They did have one English speaking ranger at the entrance who checked us in and was able to give us the hiking options in the park. All the trails are well marked and easy to follow. We hiked the Los Lagos trail and there were excellent bathroom facilities in the beginning of the trail. Hiking among the monkey puzzle trees was an experience of a lifetime!

Very good hiking to the 3 lakes. A lot of steep uphill at the start and then steep downhill at the end through twisty roots. Hiking poles recommended, or pick up some of the abandoned hiking sticks near the start if you are lucky enough to find some. Make sure to buy your entry passes a couple of days in advance: you won't get in if you go there without, and it is a long way there.