Laguna Galletué, Mountain lake in Guallelmapu, Chile
Laguna Galletué is a mountain lake in Guallelmapu, Chile, sitting at about 3,800 feet (1,150 m) above sea level and covering close to 1,000 hectares. It is surrounded by forests of araucaria, lenga, ñirre, and coigüe trees, and it marks the source of the Bío Bío River.
The area around the lake has long been used by the Pehuenche, an indigenous Mapuche group who hunted and gathered across these highlands. Over time, travelers and researchers mapped the region and documented its connection to the Bío Bío River.
The roads leading to the lake are rough in sections, so a vehicle with good ground clearance makes the trip easier. The warmer months offer milder weather and better access, while winter can bring snow and make some routes harder to travel.
Although the lake sits far from Chile's major cities, the water that leaves it eventually becomes the Bío Bío River, one of the longest rivers in the country. This means a quiet highland lake is quietly feeding a river that has shaped entire regions downstream.
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