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We've compiled the best of the best in El Bolson - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
About 1 km (½ mile) from the base of Cerro Piltriquitrón, you'll find fire-damaged beech trees that have been carved over the years by 13 notable Argentine artists. Thirty-one monumental sculptures transform the dead forest into a living gallery. Tours can be arranged through local agencies.
Head 20 km (12 miles) north of El Bolsón to see the Cascada de la Virgen, one of the area's loveliest waterfalls. It's most impressive in spring, when the runoff from the mountain descends in a series of three cascades visible from the road from Bariloche.
The Mapuche name of this 2,260-meter (7,415-foot) granite ridge means "mountain hung with clouds," which is a fair description of the peak itself. What it leaves out, however, is the array of sights and activities to be enjoyed on the way up: miradores, a paragliding pad, the Bosque Tallado, and a homey refugio (cabin) run by Club Andino Piltriquitrón where you can rest at the halfway mark. In summer, the lodge is surrounded by wildflowers, but in every season, the views extend all the way to Lago Puelo and the Chilean border.
