Details
Features
About this place
El Rio Azul, the blue river, is aptly named after the stunnning color of its rushing waters.
This short but dense with adventure loop begins at Refugio Cajón del Azul in the mountains of El Bolsón in Rio Negro, Patagonia, Argentina.
Turning right out of the refuge's wooden gate, follow the path toward Refugio Retamal until you reach a small creek covered by a discreet wooden bridge. Follow the path on the left towards the sound of water and into the forest. The path from here appears to be semi-abandoned but becomes more obvious a few meters into the forest. Let the red dots on the trees guide you along the edge of the gorge carved by the waters of the Rio Azul and admire its unreal color.
I was here in the spring but I can only imagine how incredible the landscape would be with the colors of autumn leaves.
The loop path guides you back to Refugio Cajón del Azul, which is also a lovely place to sleep or camp for the night. The price of staying in the refuge (not camping) also includes a hot shower and the use of the kitchen.
I give this hike a difficulty level of intermediate only because there are a couple of wooden ladders that must be scaled.