Área protegida Montes del Queguay, Protected natural area in Paysandú Department, Uruguay.
Área protegida Montes del Queguay is a protected area in the Paysandú Department of northwestern Uruguay, situated where the Queguay Grande and Queguay Chico rivers meet. The territory covers riverside forests, wetlands, lagoons, and basaltic hills, all within a relatively compact area.
Efforts to protect this area began in 1949, when residents from the nearby town of Guichón took steps to safeguard the forests along the Queguay. The area was formally recognized within Uruguay's National System of Protected Areas in 2014.
The forests along the Queguay rivers still hold traces of the Charrúa people, who once lived in this part of Uruguay. During walks through the area, visitors can come across sites where artifacts have been found, offering a tangible connection to that past.
The area has marked trails that pass through open grassland and dense forest, so sturdy footwear and protection from both sun and rain are recommended. Visiting in the morning tends to offer better conditions for spotting birds and other wildlife along the riverbanks.
The riverside forest along the Queguay is considered one of the largest remaining natural forest masses in Uruguay, which is notable in a country where open grassland dominates most of the land. This forest grows on a basalt base, giving the ground an uneven, rocky texture that visitors can feel underfoot on the trails.
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