Caviahue: Skiing and Nature Trails

For planning a stay in Caviahue, Cerro Caviahue Ski Resort provides practical guidance for your ski day: it has 22 ski runs across 325 hectares of skiable terrain. It also offers ski and snowboard lessons. If you would also like to plan nature trails, you’ll find different options depending on the season—from trekking to guided tours on the trails near Cascadas del Agrio.

Slopes and lessons at Cerro Caviahue Ski Resort

The 22 ski runs and 325 hectares of skiable terrain indicate the scale of what’s on offer. The lesson program is also relevant when planning your day: the Escuela de Ski & Snowboard de Caviahue Ski Resort offers private and group ski and snowboard lessons throughout the season. Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels; group lessons are for five or more people.

This lets you tailor your stay to your interests, whether you want to ski on your own or take lessons. If you’re traveling with a group, the minimum group size for lessons is a practical detail to consider when planning.

Trails to lagoons and waterfalls

Cascada Escondida is located west of Caviahue. Its 1,800-meter trail passes through a forest of lengas, araucarias, and ñires. The trailhead is on the road to the ski center. In summer, the route can be hiked; in winter, it can be traversed on snowshoes. If you’re comparing activities across the seasons, this is the same named natural attraction with different seasonal ways of getting around.

The small natural Laguna Escondida lies beyond the town. From there, you can enjoy views of Caviahue, Lago Caviahue, and Copahue Volcano. In summer, the trail to the lagoon can be hiked; in winter, snowshoes, touring skis, or snowmobiles are listed as ways to get there. You can reach the trailhead from the tourist information office by taking 8 de Abril Street to Volcán Copahue Street. This information can help you consider the lagoon as a destination in its own right and include access to it in your plans.

Near Caviahue, the loop trail at Cascadas del Agrio is approximately 1.5 kilometers long; the waterfalls are 500 meters from the tourist information office. The marked trail can be hiked in summer. In winter, snowshoes, cross-country skis, or touring skis with a guide are the options. The waterfalls were formed over millions of years by volcanic processes and glaciation. In Parque Provincial Copahue, whose nearest town is Caviahue, the headwaters of the Río Agrio and its tributaries are protected; several waterfalls lie between the rivers.

Choose other nature experiences to suit you

The trail to the 7 Cascadas also offers a different perspective on the landscape: it begins at the Río Agrio, where it flows into Lago Caviahue, and climbs southwest through basalt formations. No distance is given for this trail, so the described route is the main guide for planning your day. Kayaking and windsurfing are also offered as water sports within the protected area at Lago Caviahue.

Registration is mandatory for the ascent of Copahue Volcano. This requirement applies to guides, visitors, residents, and researchers, so it should be part of your plans before you climb. This way, you can distinguish between the designated ski runs, seasonal trails, water sports, and a volcano ascent that requires registration, rather than treating the different activities as a single excursion program.

For an overview of the wider area: Ñorquín Department.