The gate of Los Alerces National Park marks the point where the Patagonian steppe gives way to something older and wetter. The park, in the Chubut province of Argentina, protects a strip of Andean forest and a chain of deep glacial lakes, and it is named after the alerce, a giant conifer that can live for more than three thousand years. These slow-growing trees, among the oldest living things on earth, are scattered through the damp valleys, and the park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2017 in recognition of its importance.
The road in from Trevelin or Esquel is paved for part of its length and then becomes a gravel track, known as ripio, where it runs along the lakes. The surface is generally passable, but washboard, loose stones and the occasional pothole demand attention, and rain can turn it to mud. Bends are tight and the forest is dense, so the light is dim even on a sunny day, and you will need to ride patiently. Traffic is light apart from tour buses in summer. The best months are November to April, with long days and mild weather.
You will normally need to pay an entrance fee at the gate, and rangers can give you the latest information on road conditions and closures. A small village on Lake Futalaufquen has a few shops, restaurants and cabins, and it is a good place to stop for a hot meal. Bring waterproofs, as rain is frequent, and insect repellent for the horseflies that appear in summer.
The lakes are the highlight, with water of a startling turquoise, brought by glacial silt, and the forest comes right down to the shore. You may see the Andean deer, the huemul, which is rare and shy, and birds such as the Magellanic woodpecker, with its red head. A boat trip or short walk to the oldest alerces is a good way to meet these giants, which have stood through centuries of weather. The air smells of damp cedar, the light is soft and green, and the sound of water is constant.