Tolhuaca National Park
| Tolhuaca National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Laguna Verde
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| Location | La Araucanía Region, Chile |
| Nearest city | Curacautín |
| Coordinates | 38°12′0″S 71°50′0″W / 38.20000°S 71.83333°WCoordinates: 38°12′0″S 71°50′0″W / 38.20000°S 71.83333°W |
| Area | 6.474 ha |
| Established | 1935 |
| Governing body | Corporación Nacional Forestal |
Tolhuaca National Park (Spanish pronunciation: [tolˈwaka]) is a Protected Area created on October 16, 1935 in an area of 3,500 ha that was previously part of the Malleco National Reserve. In 1985, a second section of Malleco National Reserve was also made part of the national park. Malleco National Reserve was the first protected wildlife area in both Chile and South America, so the land within Tolhuaca National Park is one of the oldest protected areas on the continent.
The park is located in the commune of Curacautín, which lies within Malleco Province in La Araucania Region in southern Chile. It encompasses part of the forested lower western spurs and foothills of the Andes. Adjoining the park to the north is Malleco National Reserve. The park has an elevation of 700–1,821 m (2,297–5,974 ft) asl. It includes small lakes and numerous ponds, among them the Laguna Malleco and the Laguna Verde. The source of the Malleco River is located within the park and Tolhuaca volcano is situated in near the park, dominating its vistas.
There are two main point of access to the park. The first is via "Inspector Fernandes Road", 5 km north of the town of Victoria, along 74 km of gravel road. The second access is located at Kilometre 34 on the road between Curacautín and Tolhuaca Hot Springs.
The main attractions of the park include its varied flora and fauna, its views of Tolhuaca volcano and its many hiking trails. There is an information centre, park rangers andn picnic areas.
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Wikipedia