Alerce Costero National ParkAbout Alerce Costero National Park
Alerce Costero National Park is a protected area in Chile’s Los Ríos Region set in the coastal range and dedicated to conserving remaining stands of Fitzroya cupressoides, known locally as alerce. The park preserves fragments of Valdivian temperate rainforest and the unique, long-lived conifer forests that occur on the coastal slopes.
Trails within the park lead through dense, mossy forest and allow visitors to view ancient alerce trees and associated understory species; routes vary in length and difficulty and are typically forested and damp. The park is valued for its biodiversity and for safeguarding one of the southernmost coastal occurrences of Fitzroya.
The protected area was created to conserve the remnant alerce populations and their forest ecosystems, which declined historically due to logging and land conversion. Management focuses on habitat protection and regulated public access to minimise impacts on old-growth trees.
Situated in the coastal mountains of Chile’s Los Ríos Region, the park lies west of the Andean foothills and protects slopes facing the Pacific; access is by regional roads from towns and local trailheads within the coastal range.
- Alerce trees: Protects remnant stands of Fitzroya cupressoides, commonly called alerce, a slow-growing conifer species that can live for many centuries and reaches great trunk sizes.
- Visitor note: Contains trails and parkland in the coastal range of southern Chile, often accessed from nearby regional towns; weather can be wet and trail conditions variable, so waterproof gear is recommended.
Best Time to Visit Alerce Costero National Park
Best visited in the Southern Hemisphere summer or early autumn for trail access and comfortable temperatures; check local conditions and horsefly season.
Weather & Climate near Alerce Costero National Park
Alerce Costero National Park's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with cool summers (peaking in January) and cold winters (coldest in July). Temperatures range from 2°C to 18°C. Abundant rainfall (1974 mm/year), wettest in June.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very Good | 8° - 18° | 13° | 52 mm | some cloud | 71% | 4.1 m/s | 2.6 extreme | 14.5h |
| February | Very Good | 7° - 18° | 13° | 67 mm | some cloud | 69% | 3.6 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 13.5h |
| March | Good | 6° - 16° | 11° | 115 mm | partly cloudy | 74% | 3.5 m/s | 1.4 high | 12.2h |
| April | Acceptable | 5° - 13° | 7° | 165 mm | partly cloudy | 83% | 3.6 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 10.9h |
| May | Poor | 4° - 11° | 5° | 263 mm | overcast | 90% | 4.3 m/s | 0.3 low | 9.7h |
| June | Poor | 3° - 9° | 3° | 312 mm | overcast | 93% | 4.3 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.2h |
| July | Poor | 2° - 9° | 2° | 278 mm | overcast | 93% | 4.5 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.4h |
| August | Poor | 2° - 9° | 3° | 274 mm | overcast | 91% | 4.2 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.4h |
| September | Poor | 3° - 11° | 4° | 164 mm | overcast | 88% | 4.0 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 11.7h |
| October | Acceptable | 4° - 13° | 6° | 104 mm | overcast | 86% | 4.0 m/s | 1.3 high | 13.0h |
| November | Acceptable | 5° - 15° | 8° | 94 mm | partly cloudy | 82% | 4.0 m/s | 1.9 very high | 14.2h |
| December | Very Good | 7° - 17° | 12° | 86 mm | partly cloudy | 77% | 4.2 m/s | 2.4 extreme | 14.8h |
How to Get to Alerce Costero National Park
The park is accessed from towns in the Los Ríos Region; most visitors reach trailheads by car from Puerto Montt or Valdivia. Local tour operators and CONAF (Chile’s forestry service) provide up-to-date trail and permit information.
Tips for Visiting Alerce Costero National Park
- Hire a local park guide for backcountry trails; Alerce Costero's old-growth forests can be confusing and trails vary in difficulty.
- Bring insect repellent - mosquitoes can be persistent in summer near streams.
- If targeting the largest Alerce trees, allow a full day and verify trail conditions with park authorities; some trails are seasonally closed due to erosion.