San Juan Mountains Hike

Hike Options

During the booking process, you can choose between various hiking routes. All include pickup and drop-off at your hotel in San Juan, transport by off-roading vehicle, admission tickets, and an English-speaking guide.

Please read below the details of each hike:

Loma de las Tapias Nature Reserve (3 Hours)

After a 30-minute journey, we'll reach the rest stop of Lake El Castillito, where we'll begin a hiking route of about 3.10 mi (5 km). From the very start, you'll see Lake Ullúm and its surrounding mountains. You'll also spot the Ullúm Dam, located at the head of the canyon of the Ullúm Dam, 2,519 ft (768 m) above sea level. 

We'll step into the area of the Loma de las Tapias Nature Reserve, an area of about 12,355 acres (5,000 hectares) that protects both its fauna and its paleontological wealth. During this easy hike, we'll walk on land that evokes landscapes from another world.

You'll walk on clay layers where Miocene fossils have been found, and among the rockroses and broom bushes, you may spot some Iberian emerald lizards.

Cerro Negro, Cerro América & Cerro María Auxiliadora (5 Hours)

With this option, we'll cross the popular Interlagos Route by vehicle, a region dominated by the San Juan River that will take us to the Punta Negra Dam after about 45 minutes of traveling. 

Once we arrive, we'll tighten our shoes to start a hiking rout of 3.72 mi (6 km) that will take us to the three most important summits of the mountain range of San Juan: Cerro Negro, Cerro América, and Cerro María Auxiliadora. These mountains, which are over 3,937 ft (1,200 m) tall, are connected by narrow edges that offer a scenic view of all the cardinal points.

Plus, in the south, you'll see the stunning Cerro Blanco, erected like a rock giant, and toward the north and east, you'll see the valley and arid peaks characteristic of San Juan. We'll admire the flora and fauna that have adapted to the aridity, such as the cardón and the vicuña. The beauty of this region is unforgettable!

Cerro Filo Negro (5 Hours)

We'll start our journey from San Juan on the Interlagos Route for 45 minutes. We'll then reach the Punta Negra Dam and leave the vehicle to start our hiking route of 3.72 mi (6 km) through rocky, arid landscapes.

The trail will take us along the typical Cuyo mountain, where the brown floor and the native plants depict the resistance of the Cerro Filo Negro. You'll be amazed by the white rock formations that emerge from the mountain like eroded ridges. This is the unmistakable scenery of the Zonda Valley, Ullúm, and its lake.

We'll ascend on a narrow and broken trail and as we gain altitude, the Punta Negra Lake, the Quebrada, and the Cerro La Sal will open up before our eyes. You'll see how the sky is full of the region's birds of prey!

Cerro La Sal (5 Hours)

After a lovely 1-hour journey accompanied by the San Juan River, we'll reach the start of the hiking trail. Here, we'll begin our hike until we reach the slopes of the Cerro La Sal. Along the journey, we'll find an abandoned mine, which was key to the production of the region's fascinating white clay.

Before you know it, you'll see the slopes of the hill and springs that flow and create many stalactites and stalagmites. The colors and strange shapes of these landforms will invite you to stop and admire them.

This route, which is 4.97 mi (8 km), will finish with a scenic view of the Punta Negra Dam and its lake, surrounded by imposing mountains. It's the perfect view to end this unforgettable hike!

Additional Info

Please note that the durations indicated in each option will depend on the elevation changes on each hiking route and the group's pace.