Camino de los Arrieros Sierra de las Quijadas

The old arrieros knew this route through Sierra de las Quijadas long before it became a national park—their mule trains carved these switchbacks through red sandstone walls that rise like fortress battlements from the scrubland. Following the Quebrada de las Aguadas, you’ll navigate tight canyon walls where flash floods have sculpted the rock into knife-edge ridges and natural amphitheaters. The trail passes through the Potrero de la Aguada fossil beds, where complete dinosaur skeletons weather out of 120-million-year-old sediments, and continues to the Mirador de la Aguada overlook with sweeping views across the Desaguadero River valley.

Moderate difficulty with some technical rocky sections requiring careful line choice and steady nerves on exposed canyon rim traverses. High-clearance 4WD essential for the creek crossings and loose scree slopes. April to October offers the best conditions—avoid summer heat that turns the canyons into furnaces. Fuel and supplies in San Luis city, 120 kilometers away. Camping permitted in designated areas only. This route delivers big desert scenery, paleontological treasures, and a genuine taste of Argentina’s gaucho heritage without the crowds of better-known parks.