Lake Espejo Chico

Tucked between Lake Espejo and Lake Correntoso, hidden behind a forested ridge, lies Espejo Chico. It is a narrow, elongated lake, about 3.4 kilometers long and no more than 550 meters wide, sitting some 760 meters above sea level. It lies roughly 15 kilometers north-northwest of Villa La Angostura, inside Nahuel Huapi National Park, and you can't see it from the highway: you have to go looking for it.

Head out on National Route 40 toward the Seven Lakes Road. Near the Espejo park ranger station, the access road branches off and winds through Andean-Patagonian forest down to the shore. That detour is what gives the place its character: less traffic, less noise, and a lake that lives up to its name ("small mirror") on calm days.

The first thing you notice is the water. Along the shore you can see the stony, sandy bottom, and the color shifts from green to turquoise as it deepens. When the air is still, the snowy peaks in the background are mirrored on the surface. The surrounding slopes are covered in dense forest right down to the water's edge.

Espejo Chico is fed by the Espejo River, which flows out of Lake Espejo, and drains through the Ruca Malén River into Lake Correntoso, which in turn empties into Nahuel Huapi. It is one more piece of the lake system around the village, but on an intimate scale. There are rustic campgrounds on its shores, and in summer people come for the day to soak up the sun on the beach or to pitch a tent for a few nights.

Outside summer the scenery changes completely: in autumn the forest turns color, and in winter snow can close the access road. It pairs well, on the same day, with the Lake Espejo beach area or with the trail that runs from Bahía Guardaparque down to a beach on Lake Correntoso in about 45 minutes.

• Tour type: Sightseeing and leisure
• Difficulty level: Easy
• Tip: In winter, check first with the Espejo park ranger station: heavy snowfall can block the access road. In summer, pack out your trash and only light fires where it is allowed.