Lanín National Park

Lanín National Park is a protected area in Neuquén Province in Argentine Patagonia centred on the snow-capped Lanín volcano and adjacent Andean landscapes. The park conserves high-elevation forests, glacial lakes and mountainous terrain that are used for hiking, fishing and alpine recreation.

Management focuses on maintaining native forest, protecting watersheds and providing controlled access for outdoor activities such as trekking and mountain approaches to the volcano. Local communities and small towns around the park serve as bases for visitors.

Geographically it sits on the western edge of Neuquén Province along the Argentine side of the Andes, adjacent to the border with Chile and accessed from regional towns in northern Patagonia.

• Volcanic core: The park centres on and protects the volcanic massif and surrounding Andean forests, lakes and rivers used for hiking and mountaineering.

Lanín National Park is accessed from the towns of San Martín de los Andes and Junín de los Andes in Neuquén Province. The park’s trailheads and the area around Volcán Lanín are reached by driving local provincial roads from either town; parking and trail access are available at the main park entrances near those towns.

For longer-distance travel, the park region is commonly reached by road from San Carlos de Bariloche (overland regional routes); once in San Martín de los Andes or Junín de los Andes, expect short drives on paved and gravel roads to specific trailheads and visitor areas.

• Visit in the Austral summer (December-February) when trails and mountain routes are most likely to be snow-free and accessible from the gateway towns.
• Approach the park from the nearest Neuquén towns (for example Junín de los Andes) and research which trailheads or park ranger stations are open for the sector of the Lanín volcano you plan to explore.