Desert Lake, Lagoon in Lago Argentino Department, Argentina
Desert Lake sits at 505 meters elevation, collecting waters from multiple glaciers before flowing into Las Vueltas River in Santa Cruz Province.
The lake territory sparked an international dispute between Argentina and Chile in 1965, leading to military confrontations and casualties on both sides.
The waters and surrounding lands maintain strong connections to local indigenous communities who share traditional knowledge about natural resources management.
Visitors need four-wheel-drive vehicles to access the lake area, as roads remain unpaved and conditions vary with seasonal weather changes.
The lake's location near Monte Fitz Roy creates opportunities to observe Andean condors soaring above the waters against mountain backdrops.
Location: Santa Cruz
Location: Lago Argentino Department
Elevation above the sea: 505 m
GPS coordinates: -49.03361,-72.86278
Latest update: March 6, 2025 23:37
Patagonia extends across the southern reaches of Chile and Argentina, encompassing a range of natural landscapes from active glaciers to volcanic peaks. The region presents a mixture of ice, stone and water, with national parks protecting thousands of square miles of undeveloped terrain. The land was shaped by glacial processes that left deep valleys, lakes and dramatic mountain formations. The collection includes prominent locations across both countries. In Argentina, Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre rise above the valley of El Chaltén, while Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the few ice formations worldwide that continues to advance. Los Alerces National Park protects ancient alerce trees that have stood for millennia. On the Chilean side, the Marble Caves at General Carrera Lake form carved rock structures, Queulat Hanging Glacier feeds waterfalls, and the towers of Torres del Paine define one of South America's most recognizable mountain landscapes. San Rafael Lagoon provides access to tidewater glaciers, while remote protected areas such as Kawésqar National Park and Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park preserve extensive temperate rainforests. Historical sites like Cave of Hands display prehistoric rock art.
Los Glaciares National Park
108 km
Carretera Austral
116.7 km
Southern Patagonian Ice Field
59.2 km
Upsala Glacier
86.2 km
Villa O'Higgins
66.7 km
Viedma Glacier
53.3 km
Bernardo O'Higgins National Park
135.4 km
Spegazzini Glacier
140.4 km
Brüggen Glacier
85.3 km
Volcán Lautaro
46.9 km
O'Higgins Glacier
32 km
Aguja Poincenot
30.4 km
Viedma
52 km
Aguja Saint Exupery
31.1 km
Jorge Montt Glacier
87.8 km
Bernardo Glacier
82.9 km
Huemul Glacier
5.3 km
Lago del Desierto Provintial Reserve
7.2 km
Puesto Arbilla
14.3 km
Seco Glacier
130.6 km
Onelli Glacier
127.7 km
Cerro Huemul
45.2 km
Chaltén Mountain Range Natural Site
30.7 km
Cerro Roma
111.7 km
Eyre Fjord
97.1 km
Mitchell Fjord
125.1 km
Onelli glacier
113.6 km
Loma Del Pliegue Tumbado
37.1 kmReviews
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