Salar de Pedernales Remote Access Circuit
Chile's most isolated salt flat beyond volcanic badlands
This 68-kilometer desert penetration route reaches Salar de Pedernales, a pristine salt flat surrounded by 6,000-meter peaks 200 kilometers northeast of Copiapó. The track leaves Highway 31 near Refugio Ojo de Agua, immediately climbing through volcanic badlands where early 20th-century borax miners carved wheel ruts still visible today. Navigation becomes critical beyond Quebrada de Paipote — GPS essential as the route crosses five dry washes and multiple false trails left by prospectors.
Difficult rating demands desert-prepared vehicles with sand ladders and emergency supplies. Best attempted May through September to avoid summer heat that exceeds 45°C. Carry minimum three days of water and food; this is true expedition territory with no services or cell coverage for 300 kilometers. The payoff is accessing Chile’s most remote salt flat, where flamingo colonies feed undisturbed and ancient Indigenous hunting blinds remain intact among borax crystal formations.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Overland Route |
| Surface | Sand |
| Features | Camping, High Altitude, Historic, Remote |
| Length (miles) | 42 mi / 68 km |
| Duration | 2-3 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 12800 ft |
| Best season | May-September |
| Minimum vehicle | 4WD desert-equipped |
| Nearest town | Copiapó, Atacama |
| Land manager | Ministerio de Bienes Nacionales |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
What does 'desert-equipped 4WD' actually mean for this trail — will a stock Hilux or Land Cruiser cut it?
A stock Hilux or 70-series Land Cruiser can run this, but you need high-clearance all-terrains, a proper recovery kit, dual spare tires, and long-range fuel capacity. Soft sand sections and volcanic rubble will punish anything with street rubber or limited ground clearance. Lift and lockers are not required, but sand plates and a compressor are non-negotiable.
Is this trail passable in the Chilean summer (November–February)?
Summer is the worst window — altiplanic storms (Bolivian winter) roll through December through March, turning salt flat approaches into impassable mud and flash-flood zones. May through September is the dry, stable window. Nights drop hard below freezing year-round at this elevation regardless of season.
Do you need permits or pay any fees to access Salar de Pedernales?
The route crosses land managed by Chile's Ministerio de Bienes Nacionales, and no formal permit or entry fee is required for the circuit itself. However, if you plan to enter any adjacent protected zone near Parque Nacional Nevado Tres Cruces, a separate CONAF registration is required — check current CONAF requirements before departure as enforcement has increased.
What's the hardest section and what makes it genuinely dangerous?
The volcanic badlands approach in the western third is the crux — loose pumice, blind arroyos, and no defined track mean navigation errors compound fast with zero recovery infrastructure within range. At 12,800 ft max elevation, altitude sickness, thin air for recovery exertion, and extreme cold at night turn a stuck vehicle into a serious survival situation. Solo travel here is a bad idea.
There's zero cell service — how far out is the nearest fuel and water before you drop into the circuit?
Copiapó is your last guaranteed fuel and resupply point, roughly 200+ km from the trail start — plan for at least 500 km of fuel capacity total to run the circuit and return with reserve. Water sources in the badlands and salt flat are non-potable; carry all drinking water from Copiapó. There is no bailout town, no SAR infrastructure, and no fuel cache anywhere on route.
Trail track
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