Lago Carlota National Reserve, National reserve in Coyhaique Province, Chile
Lago Carlota National Reserve is a protected natural area in the commune of Lago Verde, Coyhaique Province, in Chile's Aysén region, close to the border with Argentina. The landscape shifts between dense forests of lenga and ñirre trees and open steppe, with the lake sitting at the heart of the reserve.
The area was officially designated a national reserve by Chilean authorities to protect the forests and habitats typical of the Aysén region. Its classification as an IUCN Category IV area means the focus is on actively managing specific species and their habitats, rather than simply leaving the land untouched.
The name Lago Carlota reflects a common tradition in Patagonia of giving lakes and hills personal names tied to early settlers. Walking through the reserve today, visitors rarely cross paths with other people, making the experience feel genuinely remote.
Access to the reserve is via route X-25 from Villa Amengual, a small town along the Ruta 7 (Carretera Austral). A four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended, especially after rain or snow, as road conditions can be rough on the approach.
The Circuito Lago Carlota is a marked loop trail through the reserve that takes about three and a half hours to complete, passing through both forest and open steppe sections. Condors are regularly spotted soaring overhead along the route, which is not always the case on other trails in the region.
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