Why this ride
A forest corridor with low-density roads and continuous natural scenery. It links naturally to Pumalin and Palena forests.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Carretera Austral Chaiten to La Junta
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 143 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 1 h 59
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Editorial context
Coordinates are curated start-via-end route seeds. They are not a surveyed centreline or navigation geometry. Run road snapping, topology checks, access checks and a live-status review before publication.
Access context
Do not auto-publish. Snap to a routable road network, verify current closures, legal motorcycle access, surface, permits, border controls and local safety information.
Seasonal context
Dec-Mar
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Chaitén
Chaitén is a town that was almost removed from the map. In May 2008 the volcano of the same name, which nobody had thought to be dangerous, erupted without warning after thousands of years asleep. Ash covered the whole region, the Río Blanco burst its banks and carved a new channel straight through the middle of the town, and the government ordered a complete evacuation. For a while there were plans to abandon the place and build a new capital elsewhere. Many people returned anyway, and today Chaitén has a few thousand people, rebuilt streets, and a lingering sense of resilience. On the hills above, the volcano still steams, and you can see the grey scar of the lava dome from the road.
Read the complete Chaiten write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Chaitén sits at 0 km, early in the day. Next is La Junta Chile.
2. La Junta Chile
La Junta is a small town where two rivers meet, which is exactly what the name says, and it marks the point where the Carretera Austral leaves the Palena valley and its wet green forests and enters the northern edge of the Aysen region. About twelve hundred people live here, scattered along wide, quiet streets, with lakes close by and snow-capped peaks showing above the trees. It is a handy place on a very empty road, with a fuel pump, a few shops, simple restaurants and guesthouses.
Read the complete La Junta Chile write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
La Junta Chile comes up 143 km in.