Potrero de Yala Provincial Park

Information

It is a natural protected area located about 20-25 km from San Salvador de Jujuy. It corresponds mostly to the Yungas ecoregion, in fact it is included within the limits of the vast Yungas Biosphere Reserve.

The park can be crossed through the Provincial Route 4 that passes through it. It has attractions such as high altitude lagunas (like lakes) and trails. It is also an excellent place for bird watching.

The lagunas that can be visited are:
- Laguna Comedero: it can be reached by car. It has a visitor centre and the shore can be reached on foot. On the road there is a bird watching point with a panoramic view of this body of water.
- Laguna Desaguadero: it usually has restricted access and can be observed from afar.
- Laguna Noques: it is smaller and can be seen from afar through the Bosque Montano trail.
- Laguna Rodeo: it can be reached by car and has a car park. There is a free camping area, an inn where you can stay and eat, and you can also walk to the edge of the laguna.

Another attraction to see is the Yala River:
- It is a typical mountain watercourse, which in one stretch runs parallel and close to Route 4 (when coming from the town of Yala). In several sectors of the road there are descents to access the shore.
- Los Paredones: This is a place where the water of the Yala River flows between large rocks (walls). They can only be seen on dry days and in the dry season (if it rains they are covered with water). You can get there by walking upstream (be very careful because the rocks can be slippery due to moss) for about 30 minutes from a water source, passing the Negro bridge.

To get to Potrero de Yala:
a) By bus: bus lines 35 and 36 go from San Salvador de Jujuy to the town of Yala, and from there you have to take a taxi to the park (coordinate the return with the taxi driver).
b) By car: you can get to the park through Provincial Route 4, and you can go from the town of Yala or from Termas de Reyes. A good option is to go through Yala and return through Reyes, or vice versa, in order to get to know the attractions of the road on both sides. Bear in mind that there are some gravel stretches that can be difficult to drive in rainy seasons.
- From Yala: the locality of Yala is located on the paved National Route 9, 14 kilometres away from San Salvador de Jujuy. From Yala you take the provincial route 4, which takes you 6 km to the beginning of the park and 11 km to the Laguna Rodeo. The route is asphalted at first, and then gravel with some uphill stretches.
- From Termas de Reyes: the village of Termas de Reyes is about 21 kilometres on asphalt from San Salvador de Jujuy (8 kilometres on National Route 9 and then 13 kilometres on Provincial Route 4). In Termas you cross the bridge over the Reyes River, and from there it is about 16 km of gravel road to the Laguna Comedero.