Welcome to the Carretera Austral! Enjoy smooth pavement as you cruise on Chilean Patagonia's most iconic highway and cross into the sparsely-populated Aysén region, where bumpy ripio recommences 😬
Turn-by-turn directions just became a whole lot easier: for the next ~900 km, proceed south on Ruta 7 (the official name for the Carretera Austral). From Villa Santa Lucía, the route gradually descends as the pavement follows a pastured valley and traverses rolling hills.
Directions
 |
Villa Santa Lucía |
|
|---|---|---|
| Pedal south on the Carretera Austral, enjoying fresh pavement and a smooth downhill for the first ~5 km | ||
| 3 km | Hola, Río Frío! (road follows this river for the next ~25 km) | |
| 5 km | Rolling hills begin (these continue all the way to La Junta) | |
| 19 km | Short-but-steep ascent, followed by a gradual downhill | |
| 30 km | Río Oeste | |
| 32 km | Ripio commences as the road begins tracking Río Palena | |
| 34 km | Enter Aysén Region (leaving Los Lagos Region) | |
| 38 km | Puente Doña Blanca (decent wild bridge camp below bridge) | |
| 49 km | Puente Senador Exequiel González over Río Palena (golden-gate-style bridge) | |
| 53 km | Pavement resumes somewhere around here (continues to La Junta) | |
| 56 km | X-11 intersection (Lago Claro Solar is 17 km to the east and Río Claro Solar is a further 3 km beyond that) | |
| 66 km | Final descent into the small town of La Junta | |
|
La Junta |
Camping Recommendation
Water that is flowing quickly down from the mountains of Parque Nacional Corcovado (to the west of the Carretera Austral) is a good option for refilling your canteens. There are a few wild camping options along the route with access to this kind of water.
Doña Blanca Bridge Wild Camp
Conveniently located ~6 km after the ripio recommences, just south of the Aysén/Los Lagos border, this wild camp is a great spot to rest and ready yourself for another battle with the ripio. The bridge provides shelter from rain (there is enough space for a medium-sized tent) and there is a stone ring underneath for campfires. The adjacent river is fast-flowing. The site gets extremely frigid, especially at night, so bundle up!
Location |
|---|
| -43.724660, -72.345560 |
Category |
|---|
| Wild |
Cost |
|---|
| Free |
Water Source |
|---|
| Río Blanca |
Highlights |
|---|
| Rain shelter Fire ring |
Tour Total
Explore Nearby
The above route information is intended to be used as a guide in conjunction with your own due diligence. Although Bicycle Patagonia is a product of extensive research, we make no representations, guarantees nor assurances as to the accuracy of the above information or the associated .gpx and .kml files. Prior to beginning the route, be sure to check local weather forecasts & road conditions. While out riding, respect Patagonia – follow all public and private land use restrictions, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and always #leavenotrace.