Petrohue Falls
Green meltwater forced through channels in Osorno's old lava, in Chile's first national park.
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The Petrohue river leaves Lake Todos los Santos and immediately runs into a barrier of andesite laid down by Osorno, which it has cut into a set of narrow channels and chutes rather than a single fall - the drop is only a few metres but the volume forced through the gaps makes it violent, and the water is the strong green of glacial meltwater. Boardwalks and platforms run along the rock with Osorno directly behind on a clear day. The site is inside Vicente Perez Rosales, established in 1926 and the first national park created in Chile.
What you actually see
- Water forced through rock channels - chutes rather than a single fall.
- Green glacial meltwater - out of Lake Todos los Santos.
- Osorno directly behind - on the days it is clear.
- Chile's first national park - Vicente Perez Rosales, from 1926.
When to go
October to April; the park is open year round but wet in winter. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The rock beside the water is slippery and people have died going past the barriers. Rain here is frequent and heavy. The car park fills with tour buses in the middle of the day. Osorno is often hidden by cloud.
Nearby
Lake Todos los Santos is upstream at Petrohue; Osorno volcano is north.
What to pack for Petrohue Falls
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.