There is so much hiking to do in Patagonia, Chile, that one can escape on foot for hours, days, or weeks. The one guarantee is spectacular sights, including lakes, streams, glaciers, mountains, grasslands, woodlands, and unending wildlife. - By Pamela Grant

It is difficult to imagine that pristine Patagonia exists on an earth that supports over eight billion people. Yet it does, and indeed is one of the last great wildernesses. Naturally, hikers are attracted to this locale with its hundreds of miles of trails, many offering remote excursions for a true escape from hectic schedules, work, and responsibilities. There are trail difficulties for everyone, views to satisfy the most particular outdoors person, and plenty of hidden gems to discover. One can hike in the famous Torres del Paine National Park or go remote on Terra del Fuego, an eco-hiker’s dream area where there is protection for one of the highest levels of biodiversity.

Conserving, Restoring, and Protecting Nature and People

Patagonia is a vast region located at the southern end of South America, covering parts of Argentina and Chile. The southern Andes Mountains, rainforests, glaciers, deserts, steppes, and more are found between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlanta Ocean to the east. It is one of the least populated regions on earth, which is yet another attraction for people who want an authentic wilderness experience. Consisting of 131,275 square miles, Patagonia accounts for approximately half of Chile’s land. There is no extensive infrastructure since it is maintained as a true wilderness, which adds to its attractiveness to hikers.

There are numerous National Parks in Patagonia. All offer hiking trails. The national parks and reserves are protected by the government and managed by the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF), a government-owned nonprofit. CONAF controls threats to species to conserve natural habitat, restores disturbed ecosystems, develops and manages banned human activities that can harm protected areas, and partners with local people and Indigenous to develop actions that meet human and conservation needs. By considering the social dimension, CONAF supports territorial relevance, interculturality, and social inclusion and safeguards pre-Columbian cultural and biocultural heritage to modern-day rural, fishermen, and Indigenous peoples. Chile has 10 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, which are home to nine of the 11 Indigenous Peoples recognized in Chile. It manages three zones, which include the western coast temperate rainforests, the eastern plains, and the Patagonian Andes mountains and valleys in the middle.

Each Park is as Beautiful as the Next

The Parque Nacional Torres del Paine has 448,284 acres of stunning landscape, including three massive granite pillars called the Torres del Paine (Towers of Pain). However, it has another claim to fame as a part of UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve system. The park has multiple trails of varying lengths, but there are two main picturesque trails.

The “W” route is a trail shaped like the letter “W,” thus its name. The three to five day hike is 46 miles long. This trail covers woodland on the Lake Grey banks, the shores of Lake Nordenskjold, and a glacial lake, and then takes hikers on a steep climb up the French Valley to get a close look at Los Cuernose, and on through the Ascencio River valley to the Las Torres peaks. The stunning Mirador las Torres is a viewpoint to see the three distinct granite rock towers, located in the upper right corner of the W trek. This popular trail has designated campsites, bunk huts, and a few glamping sites, though reservations are needed to glamp.

The W route is part of the O Circuit. The O Circuit is an 85-mile full-circle loop around the Torres del Paine National Park. Hiking the O Circuit is a seven to 10 day adventure. One of the O Circuit wonders is the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, stretching over 217 miles and the largest of the South American icefields. Hikers don’t walk on the ice directly but will hike across from it, giving a remarkable opportunity that may be gone one day if global warming continues and the melting rate persists. One caution is that high winds flow down the Andes's eastern slopes, which have been known to pick up humans with backpacks.

While the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine is the most popular park in Chile Patagonia, it is just one of many. The Vicente Perez Rosales National Park is the oldest national park in Chile. Located near the shore of Llanquihue Lake, a hike in this park gives a spectacular view of the snow-capped Osorno volcano and the Petrohué waterfalls, and offers a trek through the rainforest. To see alpacas, llamas, and flamingos, hike in the unique Lauca National Park in northern Chile. It has a high plateau (altiplano) dominated by giant volcanoes and a lacustrine area (small inland depressions or dammed riverine channels) formed by Chungará and Cotacotani lakes.

Named after the Indigenous Mapuche word Ko-nqilliu for “pine nuts in the water,” Conguillío National Park is in the Andes Mountains and is filled with the native araucaria trees, also called Chilean Pine. This unique evergreen tree has a tall, thick trunk with a top of sharp leaves that branch out in a semi-flat arrangement. They have been growing here for over 240 million years and supply pine nuts to the Pehuenche people as a dietary staple. Some trees have lived more than 1,600 years. This hike will also yield a fantastic view of Llaima volcano.

Finally, for one of the most unique hikes in one of the most pristine ecoregions in the world, there is the Faro de Hornos Trail in the Cabo de Hornos National Park. It only takes an hour, but can only be accessed via a 12-hour boat ride. In the Wollaston Archipelago, Terra del Fuego is the only place where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet at Cape Horn. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with colonies of Magellanic Penguins and soaring albatrosses, and also offers glimpses of marine life like dolphins, whales, and otters. There are one-of-a-kind sub-Antarctic forests, beat bogs, and hundreds of moss species and liverworts. Camping is possible with a reservation, but winds of up to 93-miles-an-hour are common.

Keeping Pristine Areas Pristine

There are many other parks and trails in Chilean Patagonia, each offering a unique adventure. Chile has worked hard to conserve, restore, and protect Patagonia. To visitors of this remarkable area, Chile asks respect for the land, waters, flora, and fauna by leaving no trace. Planning ahead, camping on durable surfaces, carrying garbage out, burying human waste at least 20 centimeters deep, no trampling or collecting the flora, no engaging with the wildlife, and minimizing campfire impacts by using backpack cooking stoves. They feel the only way to keep pristine areas pristine is to be a thoughtful, prepared hiker and camper, or intentionally “light impact” visitor to this incredible and unique area.