Nevado Tres Cruces National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nevado Tres Cruces National Park |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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Laguna Santa Rosa
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| Location | Atacama Region, Chile |
| Nearest city | Copiapó |
| Area | 591 km2 |
| Governing body | Corporación Nacional Forestal |
| Official name: Complejo Lacustre Laguna del Negro Francisco y Laguna Santa Rosa | |
| Designated: | 2 December 1996 |
| Reference #: | 877 |
Nevado Tres Cruces National Park is an amazing national park found in the Atacama Region of Chile. It's located east of the city of Copiapó. This park is special because it protects beautiful places like Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna del Negro Francisco, and a part of the Salar de Maricunga.
The park gets its name from the tall Nevado Tres Cruces mountain, which you can see dominating the area. It's managed by the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF), which is Chile's National Forest Corporation. They even have two shelters for visitors! One is near Laguna del Negro Francisco, and the other is close to Laguna Santa Rosa. You can visit the park from October to April.
Park Environment
This national park is located in the northern part of the Southern Andean steppe. This means it has a unique environment with special plants and animals that are used to dry, high-altitude conditions.
Salar de Maricunga
The Salar de Maricunga is a huge salt flat that covers 8,300 hectares. It sits very high up, at about 3,700 meters (12,139 feet) above sea level. Imagine a giant, flat area covered in salt!
Near this salt flat is Ojos del Salado, which is the world's highest volcano. It's also the highest peak in Chile, reaching an incredible 6,893 meters (22,615 feet). The Salar de Maricunga is about 180 kilometers northeast of Copiapó city, nestled in the Andes mountains.
Laguna Santa Rosa
| Laguna Santa Rosa | |
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 Laguna Santa Rosa
Location in Chile
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| Location | Nevado Tres Cruces National Park |
| Coordinates | 27°05′10″S 69°10′15″W / 27.08611°S 69.17083°W |
| Basin countries | Chile |
Laguna Santa Rosa is a beautiful lagoon located just south of the Salar de Maricunga. It's famous for its Andean flamingos. These graceful birds live at the lagoon all year long, making it a wonderful place for birdwatching.
Both Laguna Santa Rosa and Laguna del Negro Francisco are recognized as Wetlands of International Importance. This special status is given under the Ramsar Convention, which helps protect important wetlands around the world.
Laguna del Negro Francisco
This lagoon is about 210 kilometers northeast of Copiapó. It's even higher than Santa Rosa, sitting at 4,126 meters (13,537 feet) above sea level. The lagoon is surrounded by the lower parts of the Andes mountains.
From Laguna del Negro Francisco, you can see the Copiapó volcano. Because this area is protected, you can find lots of wildlife here. This includes beautiful flamingoes and vicuñas, which are wild relatives of llamas.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Nevado Tres Cruces para niños
- Laguna Verde
