Sierra de las Quijadas National Park

National Park Created 1991 Protecting A Red Sandstone Amphitheatre Of Canyons With Dinosaur And Pterosaur Fossils · San Luis, San Luis

Sierra de las Quijadas is a national park in the north-west of San Luis province protecting a great natural amphitheatre of red sandstone, the Potrero de la Aguada, where erosion has carved cliffs, gullies and canyons into a landscape that recalls a smaller Ischigualasto. The rocks are Cretaceous and have yielded fossils of dinosaurs and of the pterosaur Pterodaustro, a flying reptile with a comb of bristle-like teeth that filtered food like a flamingo. The main visit is simple: a short road from the highway leads to viewpoints on the rim of the amphitheatre, and trails descend into the canyons, some of them only with a guide. Near the entrance are the remains of Huarpe ovens, hornillos, used by the region's indigenous people. It is a hot, dry, quiet park on the road between Mendoza and San Luis, with a small campsite and few visitors, and it makes a good half-day stop on a journey across the country. It does not compare in scale or fame with the San Juan and La Rioja parks, and the row says so.

Ruta Nacional 147, Hualtaran, San Luis, San Luis, San Luis, D5700, Argentina

Open daily in daylight hours; confirm entry times. Some trails require a guide. Summer heat and storms can close trails.

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