Simpson River National Reserve of

The Simpson River National Reserve was included within the National System of Protected Wild Areas of the State (Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado) (SNASPE), was created  under the necessity to protect the existing vegetation and fauna, which to a large extent had been devastated by fires and overexploitation, causing floods, landslides and massive erosion. Its surface is about 41,621 hectares which includes part of the Provinces Communes of Aisén and Coihaique.

The access  to the Simpson River National Reserve is  through the paved road that goes from Puerto Chacabuco to Coihaique.

The Simpson River National Reserve has a series of rivers among which stands out the Simpson River, catalogued as one of the best river for  fly fishing  in Chile, it crosses the Reserve from East to the West, bordering the Aisén-Coihaique route  in a length of 6 miles. Along the Simpson River you can catch Browns and McCloud River Rainbow trouts, there are  several lodges.

Another interesting river is the Correntoso (Río Correntoso), possessor of a great volume and constitutes the main affluent of the River Simpson (Rio Simpson).

The Simpson River National Reserve counts on a small Information center Ambient and Arboretum, in which a sample of the main species of regional Flora and Fauna such as also other antecedents of the present natural resources in the Wild Areas of the Region are exhibited. Into it, you can find a heavy trunk of lenga, with its rings dated between 1578 and 1970, where the history of Chile is represented.

The Simpson River National Reserve counts on an “Area of Protection of the Huemul” (Área de Protección del Huemul) denominated Hill Huemules (Cerro Huemules) with a surface of 298 hectares, distant to 9 miles to the northwest of Coihaique. Historically, the population is of 8 to 10 individuals. It counts on two footpaths, one of 8.202 feet and other of 19.685 feet of length, with access for vehicles of double traction.

The most important natural spectacles of The Simpson River National Reserve are the waterfalls: The Virgin (La Vírgen) and El Velo de la Novia. The always green Forest displays geo forms as slates and cascades in the Coihaique road– Puerto Aisén. There are also the cascades of the interior of the Correntoso River and the interior of the  Los Huemules Stream.

The dominant forest in The Simpson River National Reserve corresponds to the one of the vegetation formation Always Green , in which the representative species are the common Coigüe, and the Tepa, in addition the Cinnamon-coloured is common, the Notro or Ciruelillo and the Chilco. There is also the vegetation presence of the formation Forest Caducifolio de Aisén and Brushwoods Caducifolios Altimontanos, this last one characterizes itself to constitute the limit of arboreal vegetation and by the stocky form of the species that compose it, mainly Ñire, Lenga and Calafate. Regarding of the most abundant, typical species of bushes of the zone is chilco.

On relation to the fauna within the Simpson River National Reserve, this is numerous and varied, distributing itself according to the different habitat, and so the Huemul settles down in the Eastern sector, in rocky and escarped zones, however the Puma, resides in places more protected by vegetation in sectors of medium height, climbing to high summits in summer and lowering in winter to the plains. To the interior, it is possible to see the Pudú, colored Fox (zorro colorado), Coipo, Chingue of the Patagonia, Pudú, Güiña and some species introduced as the Hare and Mink. Between the birds, it is possible to observe the Condor (Cóndor), Eagle (Águila), Kestrel, fisher man Martín, Chucao, Zorzal, Tordo, cut the running Duck and the Cachaña.

The main activities that can be carried out within the National Reserve Simpson River (Reserva Nacional Río Simpson) are: Fly Fishing, Hiking, Observation of flora and fauna, and  environmental educative Information.

** Information related to Hours, Rates and Dates might change without any previous notice **