Co Lemu and Coa Co Waterfalls and Blanco River
Co Lemu Waterfall
Total round trip journey: 19 kilometers. How to do it: by car and trekking.
After 8 kilometers, leaving from the town of Villa Traful towards the Seven Lakes Road, you arrive at the bridge over the Cataratas River. On your left, before crossing the bridge, you will be able to park the car.
From within the woods, there is a path that runs parallel to the river and has an approximate total length of 1,500 meters. Its first 800 meters are of easy access.
The final stretch offers certain difficulties, especially due to the slope of the land.
The base of the waterfall –of some 20 meters and with a significant volume of water - can be reached any time of the year. The sound is deafening and the surrounding area is spectacular to watch. The generosity of the humid and warm environment contributes to the important concentration of wild plants and flowers. To go back, you must follow the same path.
Remember that you should be especially careful with younger children. Even though sunlight is scarce due to the magnitude of the woods, the best moment to take photographs is during afternoon hours.
Coa Co Waterfalls and Blanco Rivers
Total round trip journey: 5 kilometers
How to do it: trekking, horse riding or with mountain bike
Level of difficulty: low
You can start at the riverside path, going up an internal road -passing in front of the FM radio station- and, after some 200 meters, you will arrive at Pampa de los Álamos, where you can park.
Here you can take your left and walk upwards through a native coihue and ñire forest, get around two small streams, and arrive at a view point from where you can see the Coa Co River’s Cascade towards the south and the Traful Lake towards the NE. The cascade – of approximately 25 meters – is surrounded by basalt walls, traces of the glaciers that used to predominate in the area.
You can return taking a different to go downwards. This way, you will complete the circuit and arrive at the parking area. From there, you must turn right on a well marked path and do some 1,500 meters of a winding road along the thick coihue, ñire and cypress woods.
After some 30 minutes, you will arrive at the Blanco River viewpoint, from where you will get a great view of the cascade appearing from within the vegetation composed by cañas colihues and aljhaba.
From this point onwards, the descent (and return) begins, again across the thick woods. This alternative road is signaled too.
If these excursions are done during the afternoon, you will see a wider range of wild fauna.