Sponsors
The Millennial Forest of Chile Where What Could Be the Planet's Longest-Lived Tree Resides
The Los Ríos Region is home to a stunning national park spanning over 24,000 hectares, dominated by evergreen forests and serving as a valuable refuge for the alerce, one of the longest-lived species on the planet.
This is the Alerce Costero National Park, an important green lung in southern Chile located 52 km from La Unión, featuring several trails perfect for trekking amidst majestic forests with a high degree of endemism.
This park was established in 2010 and hosts various environments within it, among which ancient alerce forests stand out. These forests have gained special notoriety thanks to a majestic specimen known as the "Great Grandfather," estimated to be over 5,000 years old, making it a true symbol of resilience.
In addition to alerce forests, Alerce Costero National Park also includes wetlands and swampy forests. Here, you can see ferns, coihues, olivillos, mañíos, pitras, canelos, and tepus, as well as various animal species such as güiñas, pumas, pudús, and woodpeckers.
In Alerce Costero National Park, there is an alerce over 5,000 years old.
According to a study published in the journal Science in 2002, the alerce known as the "Great Grandfather" is over 5,400 years old, which would make it the longest-lived tree on the planet.
Alerce "Great Grandfather," southern Chile.
This is a Patagonian alerce of the species Fitzroya cupressoides, which amazes visitors with its dimensions, as it stands about 60 meters tall and has a diameter of 4 meters. This is especially surprising considering that this species grows less than 1 mm per year.
The "Great Grandfather" is located on the Mirador Trail, which spans about 2.5 km and hosts a large number of ferns and centuries-old alerces. Additionally, this trail offers beautiful views of the park and the coast.
As a protective measure, visits to the Mirador Trail are always accompanied by park rangers. This aims to preserve this important ecosystem, which houses true relics of nature.
How to Visit Alerce Costero National Park?
Alerce Costero National Park is located in the Los Ríos Region, in the communes of Corral and La Unión, and is divided into several sectors. There is no public transportation to this park, so it can only be reached by private vehicle or tours departing from Valdivia.
Views of Alerce Costero National Park.
One of the most popular trails in the park is the Mirador Trail, where the alerce known as the "Great Grandfather" is located. The entrance to this trail is 45 km from the city of La Unión. It is ideal to go in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, as the road is not in very good condition.
The park also has other trails that may be of interest, such as Los Melíes, Renovales, and Cullevoqui, which have varying levels of difficulty.
Source:Meteored
