Cerro Castillo: hike to the blue glacier lake including summit climb of Morro Negro

Cerro Castillo is one of those places in Patagonia where you can hardly believe your eyes. Pointed rock peaks, a bright blue lake, and waterfalls cascading down from all sides. The hike to Laguna Cerro Castillo is often cited as one of the most beautiful day hikes in Chile. We decided to experience it for ourselves, and we certainly agree.

Tip: most people take the same walking route for both the outward and return journeys. We chose to climb Morro Negro and then descend via a different route. We will tell you more about this option later in this blog.

Early start to the park

The trail to the lake opens at 8 a.m., so we wanted to be at the starting point on time. You can drive a long way in the right direction by car, but the last part requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. There is a steep slope downhill where a normal car would have difficulty getting back up. We therefore parked at the last spot accessible to us. The price for a regular car is €5 per day, for a large car or camper van €10. From there, it was about a 45-minute walk to the official entrance of the national park.

Upon arrival, we had to register and pay an entrance fee. This cost 20,000 Chilean pesos per person, approximately €20. For that amount, you get a well-maintained trail, a toilet near the lake, and even a tap to refill your water bottle. With our names in the logbook, we began the climb.

A challenging but beautiful climb

The route turned out to be tough, but the walking went surprisingly smoothly. In total, we climbed 1,450 meters, the biggest ascent in a single day for us so far. This was because we added an extra climb to our route (Morro Negro). The trail starts in a green forest, then winds across an open plain and turns into a real mountain route in the last part.

After a few hours of walking, the jagged rock peaks appeared above us. They looked exactly like the battlements of a castle, hence the name Castillo. A little later, we also saw the glacial lake, bright blue and surrounded by dozens of waterfalls. The view was breathtaking once again.

Further up to Morro Negro

Most hikers turn back at the lake, but we had read that you can also climb to the summit. This brings you closer to the glacier and gives you a completely different perspective. It meant climbing another 300 meters or so. Whereas the main route was quite busy, we hardly encountered anyone on this last stretch. We enjoyed the view of the lake on one side and the vast valley on the other in complete tranquility. Around 3 p.m., we reached the summit of Morro Negro. That was just in time, because we wanted to start our descent by 4 p.m. at the latest in order to be back down before dark.

Descending via a different route

The descent was just as long as the climb, another 1,450 meters down. Our knees weren't too happy about that, but the route made up for it. The first part was done with the help of a rope, followed by large boulders and sections with loose gravel and sand.

We were glad we descended via a different route, as it gave us new views of the mountains. After a cloudy morning, the sun broke through in the afternoon. It genuinely felt like one of the most beautiful hikes of our entire trip.

Rules in the park

At the bottom of the route, we ended up at a different visitor center than where we had started. We already knew that we would have to pay another entrance fee here. The national park has several owners, and each owner sets their own price. Fortunately, this amount was a little lower, 8,000 pesos per person. After paying, we were able to check ourselves out so that the park rangers knew we had arrived safely. Then we had to walk back to our car, which would take almost an hour. We decided to hitchhike and, luckily, we were able to get a ride with the first car. That saved our tired legs a lot of effort.

In conclusion

The hike to Cerro Castillo is tough, but worth every step. The landscape changes constantly, and the moment the blue lake appears in front of you is one you won't soon forget. Anyone visiting Patagonia who loves mountains should not skip this hike. Take your time, start early, and enjoy one of the most impressive places in Chile.