Spectacular circuit that overcomes the river Atuel; their labyrinthine Canyon travels and visit the reservoirs of Big Valley and The Nihuil, returning for the hill of the Calves, the natural mirador of San Rafael's oasis. You will know the important complex of hydroelectric works, one of the main ones of the country.

Journey of 160 round trip km for a road largely paved, except the tract of 46 km among the reservoirs. Walk of a minimum day for all season, ideal in summer. You will find complete tourist infrastructure and with varied alternative: sport clubs, places to camp organized campings, motel, hotel, bars and restaurants. If you are fisherman or nautical sportsman, the possibilities of the circuit will tempt it to remain more than one day. Load fuel before leaving

Recommendations During storms, avoid to traffic for the canyon: there is danger of collapses and growing in badenes. The best hours for the journey are those of the morning, trying to leave the snails before the evening Fills the tank of fuel well.

Leave San Rafael (km 0) for the Av. Ballofet toward the south and turn for this to the right toward Big Valley . Observe the signaling carefully for not with the previous crossing that goes to Malargüe.

By the RP173, after traveling the confine of the oasis that finishes to 13 km of the city, the road it begins a serpentine and soft ascent for the estribaciones of San Rafael's Block , where the river Atuel appears different, among rough rocky masses, almost naked of vegetation.

To 20 km of San Rafael the tourist infrastructure begins. You will find ceramic sale and regional products, restaurant of foods Creole and Italian, and several well equipped campings. It is the beginning of the tourist area of the Canyon of the Atuel.

It forms an imposing panoramic group of river among mountains that extends toward the west for almost 100 km until the plains of Malargüe. The main tract is between the reservoirs of Big Valley and The Nihuil, and its culmination is in the Canyon in whose natural throats preys have been built that dam the waters of the river to regulate its flow with watering ends and to generate electric power, by means of jumps of water that they activate factories. In the hydroelectric power station N° 3, to the side of the route, you will see the whole complex drawn in big explanatory panels. For some years they are developed in the place numerous sports that attract villagers and tourists. The main event is the Pentathlon

It is a windsurf competition, moto enduro, kayak, cycling and pedestrismo. The success of the sport tourism has stimulated the appearance of great quantity of services and works along the course of water.

The complete journey of the tourist area is carried out overcoming the river, and understands three parts that are described next. In the km 38 will arrive to the Reservoir it Fences Big

It is a mirror of water, surrounded by showy and sharp serranías. From their murallón, of 115 m of high, excellent panoramic views are had. In the suburbs you will find the hotel it Fences Big and several campings, as well as the Complex Tourist Portal of the Atuel that organizes journeys of tourism risks and nautical trips for the reservoir; has a restaurant.

The Club of Fishermen is on the edge of the lake, with a pier and a slope of boats.

When arriving to the bifurcation of roads there is a mirador with a Creole restaurant, from where good views of the dike, the jump of water and the factory are had.

In the bifurcation will be able to opt alternatives between two to visit the reservoir it Fences Big:

• Small circuit Takes the paved road of the left to the lake, double to the right and travel the murallón of the dike. When concluding, return to the bifurcation for the one on the way to the tunnels.
• Long circuit Takes to the right the one on the way to the tunnels that it takes to the murallón of the dike, on the mirror of water. In the other end a road begins consolidated by the one that will arrive to the Club of Fishermen. From there, they can be carried out trips in catamaran and in ship for the lake. Continue the walk for the Canyon of the Atuel

It is a labyrinthine one traveled by imposing geologic formations, to 1.300 meters , it begins next to the dike it Fences Big and 46 km goes back you dilute up until The Nihuil, opening up step for inigualables landscapes of stratified rocks and of huayquerías, capriciously erosionadas.

In February it is scenario of some of the competitions of the Pentathlon, as careers of kayaks in the quick tracts and torrentosos of the river, between Big Valley and The Nihuil 3, and of frantic competitions of moto enduro.

In the canyon they are three hydroelectric power stations of the system Nihuil and two mirrors of water: White Lands and Aisof, capable for rural camping site, although it doesn't stop bathrooms.

To 3 km of the Central N° 3 the Motel Canyon of the Atuel are ( 59 km of San Rafael ), with simple cabins, restaurant and pileta.

Already passed the Central Nº 1, the highest, the road ascends in snails and it leaves the canyon toward a vast plateau in the summit of San Rafael 's Block, where it begins another time the pavement. Stop there to observe, in the first floor to the left, the impressive rocky, open canyon millennia ago for the force of the waters.

Face gets up today the dike and reservoir The Nihuil

This dike of a surface of 9.600 hectares , this located 92 km of San Rafael, this gentle mirror of water is the one bigger than the reservoirs cuyanos and it considers it to him the best for the windsurf practice.

Their banks are soft and they expand uniform beaches, the road ends to the foot of the dike, where the RP180 crosses. Toward the left, to 1 km , it takes to the small village San José of the Nihuil whose panoramic bottom is the Snowy hill ( 3.810 meters ), an important one reserves faunistica, especially of gumps. To the right it takes at the RN144 and 40 that connect San Rafael with Malargüe.

To visit the reservoir takes the route to the right and, few meters later on, deviate to the left 2 km for a road paved until the Club of Fishermen, headquarters of the Association Sanrafaelina of Windsurf.

There is good equipment with hostel, a place to camp and weekend houses. In April they are carried out important national yachts.

The RP180 take until the connection with the RN144 and double to the right.

The road ascends in a long straight line until arriving to the summit of the Hill of the Calves, where all of a sudden a fascinating panorama of the verdeante oasis appears in the first floor. The hill is the balcony that looks to the city, its river and its cultivations. It is part of the famous Sierra Pintas with important locations of uranium exploded by the National Commission of Atomic Energy that supply to the nuclear power stations of the country. It doesn't visit one another.

The low road very signalled until the city.