1
Saint Pie cactus, the Chagual del Jote cactus, and cushion cacti. Activities include hiking, cycle- tourism, wild flora and fauna observation (prima- rily guanacos), and photography. It is recommen- ded that you stay on the trail; wear lightweight clothing, sunglasses, and sun block; and carry binoculars. The trail begins at 135 meters above sea level; final altitude is 305 meters. It is an easy trail with a minimal slope. Pan de Azúcar Coastal Trail This trail goes from Pan de Azúcar harbor south to Playa Piqueros; it has a total length of 1.5 km and takes 2 hours. Along the way you will see the coastal ecosystem in all its abundance as well as the insular ecosystem on beautiful Pan de Azúcar Island. Among the marine and coastal fauna you may admire are birds such as the striking black skimmer, the gray gull, the cur- lew, and the impressive pelican. As for mammals, you may spot the unusual sea otters or perhaps the whales that arrive at the park in certain seasons. Activities include hiking, wild fauna observation, and photography. It is recommended that you wear lightweight clothing, sunglasses, and sun block, and that you carry binoculars. The average altitude of the trail is 4 meters above sea level. It is an easy, flat trail. El Mirador Trail The El Mirador route starts at the park’s Environmental Information Center located at Playa Piqueros. Take route C-120 to Pan de Azúcar harbor, then follow route C-112 along Pan de Azúcar Ravine to the mouth of Agua Chica Ravine. Turn left and continue on to the area where Agua Chica and Quiscuda Ravines come together. Continue the route on foot or by bicycle along Quiscuda Ravine until you arrive at the El Mirador visitors’ site. This route has a total of 7 kilometers by car and 2.5 km on foot; the hiking portion takes 2 hours. Along the route, you will see cacti and shrubs, recognizing such species as Eulychnia Saint Pieana, Chagual del Jote, and Copiapoa columna alba cacti. You may be able to spot groups of guanacos and the friendly chilla fox. The trek is of medium difficulty with some degree of slope. Activities include hiking, cycle- tourism, wild flora and fauna observation, and scenery views. It is recommended that you stay on the path; wear lightweight clothing, sunglasses, and sun block; and carry binoculars. The altitude at the beginning of the trail is 180 meters above sea level; final altitude is 317 meters. Las Lomitas Trail This route goes from the Environmental Information Center to the area of Las Lomitas (60 km round trip). Take Route C-120, then continue on Route C-112 (Pan de Azúcar Ravine) to Quinchihue Springs. Turn left and follow along Las Chilcas Ravine. The route consists of 26 km by car and 4 km hiking or cycling. It is a long hiking trail, but easy and with a minimal slope. Along the way you will see the hillsides of the cliff with their characteristic green strip of vegetation growing thanks to the camanchaca, the dense coastal fog. Among the native plant species you will see along the trail are Eulychnia Saint-Piena, Nolana divari- cata, Echinopsis deserticola, Opuntia tunicata, and others. In terms of fauna, you may see groups of guanacos, chilla foxes, and birds such as the black- hooded sierra finch and the diuca finch. Activities include hiking, cycletourism, wild flora and fauna observation, panoramic views, and photography. It is recommended that you stay on the trail; wear lightweight clothing (possibly a warm outer layer), sunglasses, and sun block; and carry binoculars. The altitude at the beginning of the trail is 705 meters above sea level; final altitude is 820 meters. Aguada Los Sapos Trail This route goes from the junction of Route C-112 for vehicle traffic to the mouth of Los Sapos Ravine, then continues on a footpath up the ravine to Los Sapos Springs (5 km round trip). On the trail you will see the Copao de Saint Pie cactus, the Chagual del Jote cactus, cushion cacti, and the azonal spring community, which occurs in areas with high salinity springs. The trail takes approximately 2 hours, and activities in- clude hiking, wild flora and fauna observation, and photography. It is recommended that you stay on the trail; wear lightweight clothing (possibly a warm outer layer), sunglasses, and sun block; and carry binoculars. The trail starts at 117 meters above sea level; final altitude is 318 meters. It is of interme- diate difficulty and has some degree of slope. Quebrada del Castillo Trail This route begins at the level of Playa Blanca. Turn off of Route C-120 and drive up Castillo Ravine to the beginning of the trail; con- tinue on foot or by bicycle. This trail heads into the park, is 6 km round trip, and takes approximately 2½ hours. Along the way you will see the Copao de SITES TO VISIT Historical Site, Old Pan de Azúcar Port This site is 1 kilometer north of the Environmental Information Center and is located in what is today Pan de Azúcar Harbor. The old Pan de Azúcar port was a major center of activity during the 1860’s and 70’s; it later waned in importance and was abandoned at the begin- ning of the 20th century. The port was founded due to the exploitation of Carrizalillo copper, which was discovered by the brothers Juan and José Ossandon in 1855, giving rise to houses, warehouses, ore fields, a copper smelter, and a pier. All of the area’s mining wealth was exported through this port. Pan de Azúcar was opened as a Minor Port on June 21, 1865 by President José Joaquín Pérez; it was served by a lieutenant administrator, a security inspector, and two sailors. Around 1883, Pan de Azúcar began to decline due to low-grade ores, expensive shipping, and the cost of working the deep Carrizalillo mines. The Pan de Azúcar Customs House was closed on December 1, 1890. Máximo Villaflor, who was in charge at the time, clung to the land and wrote enthusiastically about the merits and the mineral wealth of the area. The facilities in general were dismantled in 1914, and the wood, which was of high quality, was taken by ship to other locations. In February of 1929 there were still houses defying abandonment and the ravages of time, but they were unexpectedly consumed by flames in an outbreak of fire. Pan de Azúcar became a ghost port in the desert and a forgotten page in the history of Chile. Pan de Azúcar Island Located 2 km from the park’s coast, the island has a subtriangular shape, with a maximum elevation of 160 meters at its south end. Geologically, it is metasedimentary rock with contact metamorphism in the Paleozoic era. It has an area of 110 hectares, with a northern structure that is rocky, high, and steep on a foundation of large clastic rocks, giving rise to two slopes whose angles and layers provide a variety of conditions for nesting birds. The eastern face has a steep incline, while the western face has isolated rocky systems with a much gentler, prolonged slope which disappears in some stretches. The substrate, soft and spongy, can be seen in ex- tensive areas, consisting of guano, nesting material, and fine-grained sand. A strip of this same material divides The southern area is a small plain with isolated time, 200 million years ago, until the present. Volcanic output has deposited thousands of meters of depth and has contributed to the high mountain range, in addition to the lifting caused by clashing plates. Quinchihue Springs This site of ecologic and historical interest is located some 20 kilometers from the park’s Envi- ronmental Information Center. Although the entire Pan de Azúcar Ravine appears completely dry, there is actually a variable amount of groundwater fed from the Andes mountains from the snow that falls every winter and every few years during what is called the “altiplano winter,” which coincides with the months of the southern hemisphere’s summer. The Pan de Azúcar Ravine drains a wide, extensive basin which allows for the accumulation of a large amount of groundwater at the altitude of Pan de Azúcar National Park. Due to a geological fault, the groundwater springs to the surface at Quinchihue. Geological faults are planes the length of which there was, or still is, move- ment that shifts adjacent rocky forms. With respect to its historical importance, during the 19th century the area of Quinchihue Springs served as a resting place for the caravans coming down from the Carrizalillo co- pper mine. They would stop at Quinchihue Springs to water the animals, rest, and repair the wagons before continuing their travel to Pan de Azúcar Port to load the valuable mineral aboard the ships. Advice to hikers Before you go 1) Plan your routes in detail: study the route and check the weather forecast. 2) Wear shoes appropriate for your route. 3) Protect yourself from the sun: wear a hat, sun- glasses, and sun block. 4) Carry a small backpack with a change of clothes and appropriate food and drink. 5) Recommended: a mobile phone and first aid equipment. And to know where you are: a map, compass, or GPS. 6) Binoculars and a camera will help you appreciate nature. During the hike 1) Do not leave or bury trash. 2) Never light a fire. Carry cooked food. 3) Stay on the trails. Shortcuts only damage the ground, making the original trail disappear. 4) Motor vehicles are for the highway or country roads. Do not disturb the quiet of the park with noise. 5) Respect and protect springs and other sources of water. Do not dump soap, polluting products, or waste in them. 6) Never pick flowers or branches; that way, everyo- ne can enjoy them. 7) Do not camp just anywhere. Respect and use designated campsites. 8) Remember that the signs guide you on the trail; take care of them. AND REMEMBER: RECKLESSNESS IS FOOLHARDY. HIKE ACCOMPANIED RATHER THAN ALONE. RED DE SENDEROS SEÑALIZADOS DEL PARQUE NACIONAL PAN DE AZÚCAR rocks that are highly eroded and closed off to the west by prolonged cliffs the heights of which disin- tegrate into great juxtaposed rocks. The ground is also soft and spongy, consisting of a layer of guano of varying thickness. The prolonged slope of this area forms a white sandy beach some 400 meters long, the only one of its kind on the island. Boats can be rented from fishermen living at Pan de Azúcar harbor to sail around the island. Humboldt penguins, sea lions, and coastal birds can be seen. Las Chilcas Geological Site This is a site of geological interest located 23 km northeast of the park’s Environmental Information Center. It consists of volcanic conglomerates and gaps caused by explosive eruptions that, after being expelled in pyroclastic columns over the volcano’s crater, collapsed and were carried down the sides of the volcanoes that were in the area during the Triassic era. That was some 200 million years ago, and nothing is left but these rocks; the volcanoes themselves eroded away. At the time, South America was just beginning to split away from Africa. The volcanoes that gave rise to the exposed rocks in the Las Chilcas Ravine were the first ones formed as a result of the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. For the same reason there have always been volcanoes along the west coast of South America from that Material elaborado en el marco del proyecto “Desarrollo de Ecoturismo y Patrimonio cultural en Chañaral-Pan de Azúcar III Región” PAN DE AZÚCAR NATIONAL PARK Guide to Hiking Trails and Visitors' Sites Proyecto ejecutado por: THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT OF PAN DE AZÚCAR NATIONAL PARK Protecting The Atacama Coastal Desert Located in the far northwest of the Region of Atacama, the Municipality of Chañaral is the largest urban area and capital of the province of the same name. It lies in the foothills of the maritime moun- tains of the Coastal Range on the southwest bank of the mouth of the Salado River at 26° 18’ latitude south and 70º 37’ longitude west. The Municipa- lity and Province of Chañaral are in the northern third of the Region of Atacama and belong to the geomorphologic system of the desert areas that stretch to the Regions of Antofagasta and Tarapacá. The system features medium altitude plateaus and an altiplano-type steppe climate. Also, in geomorphologic terms, the location consists of a terraced maritime plain on the southwest that is open toward the north and east, built by dune and alluvial material deposited by the Las Ánimas and El Salado ravines lying in the mountain ranges surrounding the urban polygon. SIMBOLOGÍA Rutas Vehiculares Sendero Aguada Los Sapos Sendero Las Lomitas Sendero Mirador Sendero Costero Pan de Azúcar Sendero Quebrada del Castillo Límite P.N. Pan de Azúcar Sitios de Visita Información Conaf i i MAPA DE SENDEROS PARQUE NACIONAL PAN DE AZUCAR sLL sM sPA sAS sQC sLL sM sQC sPA sAS Proyecto financiado por:
