El Leoncito National Park
El Leoncito National Park | |
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Parque Nacional El Leoncito | |
Location | San Juan Province, Argentina |
Nearest city | Barreal |
Coordinates | 31°48′S 69°22′W / 31.800°S 69.367°W |
Area | 89,706 ha (346.36 sq mi) |
Established | September 18, 2002[1] |
Governing body | Argentine National Parks Administration |
El Leoncito National Park (
Description
El Leoncito is located on the western slopes of the Sierra del Tontal in the Calingasta Department, 34 km (21 mi) from Barreal.
The lack of atmospheric pollution in this isolated place and the dry weather guarantee at least 300 days of unmatched sky transparency per year, making it particularly suitable for astronomy research: within the park there are two astronomical observatories: the Leoncito Astronomical Complex (CASLEO) and the Félix Aguilar Observatory (2,552 m (8,373 ft) above sea level)
The area of the current national park lay within the jurisdiction of the aforementioned Leoncito Astronomical Complex, under the
The climate is cold, with permanent ice in the high Andean region. In the Puna the weather is cold and very dry with large temperature amplitude. Overall, the average annual rainfall is 200 mm (7.9 in).
The park has almost no infrastructure for tourists, so it is recommended to stock up before visiting. There is free camping with a stove, tables, grills, barbecue, toilets and hot showers. Besides visiting the astronomical observatories, there are trails to local water streams and waterfalls, most of them of low difficulty and short length.
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Road access to the park. In the background, the Sierra del Tontal
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Pampa del Leoncito andCerro Mercedarioin the background
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Leoncito Astronomical Complex at dawn
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Astronomy research facilities
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Pampa del Leoncito
Biodiversity
The flora is mostly made up of shrubs, typical of dry mountainous areas. The fauna include important species like the guanaco and birds of prey such as the peregrine falcon.
References
- ^ a b c Ley No. 25656, 16 de octubre de 2002, B.O., (30005), 4 (in Spanish); sanc.: 18 de septiembre de 2002
External links
- Sitio oficial del Parque Nacional El Leoncito (in Spanish)