Loma de las Tapias Natural Park

Information

Loma de las Tapias is a protected natural area in the province of San Juan, located opposite the Ullum Reservoir and about 17 km from the provincial capital. Its purpose is to preserve the natural landscape and the geological formations characteristic of the area.

It is an arid and saline terrain made up of soft sediments and surrounded by a desert climate. Erosion caused by wind and rain has gradually shaped the land, creating a landscape with a "lunar" appearance. The area is also important from a paleontological perspective due to the discovery of fossils from the Neogene Period, which belongs to the Cenozoic Era. These remains correspond to species that developed after the extinction of the dinosaurs.

To visit the area, there is a pedestrian entrance along Provincial Route 60, opposite the Ullum Reservoir and about 500 meters from the dam wall and its hydroelectric power plant. From the road itself, you can already see the characteristic hills with whitish, grayish and reddish areas that make up the area's "lunar" landscape. However, once you start walking along the trails, just a few minutes on foot are enough to get a closer look at the formations, observe their details and enjoy a much more rewarding visit.