La Campana National Park

Localization

Central Chile; 60 km east of Valparaíso

Access

Easy

Characteristic

80 km²; Mountainous area located in the coastal mountain range of Cordillera de la Costa. Typical ecosystems - temperate zone forests, dry mediterranean forests, semidesert, mountainous and alpine biotopes. The main subject of preservation - one of the last palm forests of Jubaea chilensis (Chilean Wine Palm).

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Rodents - Chinchillas and Viscachas (Chinchillidae): Long-tailed Chinchilla; Southern Vizcacha

- Chinchilla Rats (Abrocomidae):  Benett´s Chinchilla Rat

- Degus (Octodontidae): Cururo

Carnivores - Weasels, Otters, Badgers, Skunks (Mustelidae): Molina´s Hog-nosed Skunk

- Dogs (Canidae): Argentine Grey Fox; Culpeo Fox

- Cats (Felidae):Kodkod

Birds:

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Chilean Tinamou

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Cattle Egret; Black-crowned Night-Heron

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): American Black Vulture; Turkey Vulture

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle; Cinereous Harrier; Bicoloured Hawk; Red-backed Hawk; White-tailed Kite

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Chimango Caracara

Galliformes - Quails (Odontophoridae): California Quail - introduced species

Charadriiformes - Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): South American Snipe

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Southern Lapwing

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Chilean Pigeon

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Rufous-legged Owl; Austral Pygmy Owl

Apodiformes - Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Green-backed Firecrown; Giant Hummingbird

Piciformes - Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Chilean Flicker; Striped Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Dusky-tailed Canastero; Crag Chilia; Bar-winged Cinclodes; Scale-throated Earthcreepar; Thorn-tail Rayadito; Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail; White-throated Treerunner;  Des Mur´s Wiretail

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): White-throated Tapaculo; Moustached Turka

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Fire-eyed Diucon; White-creasted Elaenia; Great Shrike-Tyrant; Tufted Tit-Tyrant; Spectacled Tyrant

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Chilean Swallow

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Austral Thrush

- Mockingbirds, Catbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae): Chilean Mockingbird

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae): Correndera Pipit

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): House Wren

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Austral Blackbird; Long-tailed Meadowlark

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Common Diuca Finch; Band-tailed Sierra-Finch; Grey-hooded Sierra-Finch; Rufous-collared Sparrow

- Finches (Fringillidae): Black-chinned Sisikin

Plants:

Ferns:

Polypodiales - Pteridaceae: maidenhair fern (Adiantum gertrudis) - hygrophilous forest (threatened species)

Dicotyledons:

Laurales - Lauraceae: Bays (Persea lingue and P. meyeniana) - hygrophilous forest; Beilschmiedia berteroana (threatened species) and B. miersii - hygrophilous and sclerophyllous forests; Cryptocarya alba - sclerophyllous forest

- Monimiaceae: Boldo (Peumus boldus) - sclerophyllous forest

- Gomortegaceae:  Gomortega keule - sclerophyllous forest (endemic species)

Canellales - Winteraceae: Winter´s Bark (Drimys winteri) - hygrophilous forest

Ranunculales - Berberidaceae: Barberry (Berberis actinacantha) - Nothofagus forest

- Lardizabalaceae:  Lardizabala biternata - sclerophyllous forest (liana)

Brassicales - Tropaeolaceae: Nasturtium Tropaeolum azureum - Nothofagus forest

Caryophyllales - Cactaceae: Echinopsis chiloensis - semidesert

Rosales - Rosaceae: Kageneckia oblonga - sclerophyllous forest

- Rhamnaceae: Trevoa trinervis - sclerophyllous forest

Oxalidales - Elaeocarpaceae:  Aristotelia chilensis - Nothofagus and hygropilous forests; Crinodendron patagua - hygrophilous forest

Vitales - Vitidaceae: Treebine (Cissus striata) - sclerophyllous forest (liana)

Saxifragales - Grossulariaceae: Currant (Ribes punctatum) - Nothofagus forest

Fabales - Fabaceae: Adesmia balsamica and A. resinosa - sclerophyllous forest (rare species); Neclacepod (Sophora macrocarpa) - hygrophilous and sclerophyllous forests; Prosopis chilensis - sclerophyllous forest; Roman-cassie (Acaia caven) - slerophyllous forest; Vetch (Vicia magnifolia) - Nothofagus forest

- Quillajaceae:  Quillaja saponaria - sclerophyllous forest

Zygophyllales - Zygophyllaceae:  Krameria cistoidea - hygrophilous forest; Porlieria chilensis - hygrophilous forest

Fagales - Nothofagaceae: Southern Beeches (Nothofagus alessandrii, N. macrocarpa and N. obliqua) - forests of this species, located in the foothills of La Campana and El Roble, at 900 meters above the sea level, represent one more of the curiosities of this park.

Malpighiales - Euphorbiaceae: Avellanita bustillosii - sclerophyllous forest (threatened species); Colliguaja integerrima and C. odorifera - alpine steppes

- Flacourtiaceae: Azara petiolaris - Nothofagus and sclerophyllous forests

Celastrales - Celastraceae: Maytenus boaria - sclerophyllous forest

Sapindales - Sapindaceae: Guindilia trinervis - alpine steppes

- Anacardiaceae: Lithrea caustica - sclerophyllous forest; Peppertree (Schinus montanus) - alpine steppes and Nothofagus forest

- Rutaceae: Pitavia punctata - sclerophyllous forest (endemic species)

Proteales - Proteaceae: Lomatia hirsuta - Nothofagus forest

Myrtales - Myrtaceae: Luma chequen - hygrophilous forest; Myrceugenia correifolia, M. exsucca, M. obtusa and M. rufa - hygrophilous forest (rare species)

Apiales - Apiaceae: Eryngo (Eryngium paniculatum) - semidesert; Mulinum spinosum - alpine steppes

Ericales - Escalloniaceae:  Redclaws (Escallonia pulverulenta) - sclerophyllous forest

Lamiales - Mints (Lamiaceae): Savory (Satureja gilliesii) - semidesert

- Verbenaceae: Rhaphithamnus spinosus - hygrophilous forest

Asterales - Asteraceae: Baccharis linearis - semidesert; Chuquiraga oppositifolia - alpine steppes; Dasyphyllum excelsum - hygrophilous forest; Mutisia ilicifolia - Nothofagus forest; Podanthus mitiqui - sclerophyllous forest; Proustia pyrifolia - sclerophyllous forest (liana); Tarwort (Flourensia thurifera) - semidesert

Monocotyledons:

Liliales - Alstroemeriaceae: Bomarea salsilla - hygrophyllous forest

Arecales - Arecaceae: Jubaea chilensis - palm forest, the most important tree of the park

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Chusquea Bamboo (Chusquea cumingii) - bamboo thickets

- Cyperaceae: Sedge (Carex setifolia) - alpine steppes

- Bromeliaceae: Puya berteroniana, P. chilensis, P. coerulea, P. coquimbensis and P. venusta - semidesert; Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) - hygrophilous forest

Asparagales - Tecophilaeaceae:  Tecophilaea cyanocrocus - sclerophyllous forest (threatened species)

Possible activities

Beautiful and interesting trails for walking and trekking. 

Note

The park has three sectors, each one with a different entrance

Famous attraction is the Cerro La Campana, which lends its name to the park. In 1834 Charles Darwin climbed this mountain, during The Voyage of the Beagle.

Many archeological evidences reveal ancient native presence in the zone.

Picture - source wikipedia