Hiking to the Fitz Roy in Patagonia: The One Hike You Can’t Miss

You’ve seen the Fitz Roy. Maybe not in person, but you’ve seen the outline of it’s peaks on every Patagonia clothing item.

And I have to say, while I was standing there at the base of it, I totally understand why Yvon Chouinard chose this epic mountain as the symbol for his business. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful places, but walking over the last hill of the hike and seeing the Fitz Roy come into view will be burned into my memory forever. It’s not a scene that’s easily forgotten.

If you do one day hike in Patagonia, this is the one.

Stats for Hiking to the Fitz Roy:

Distance: 26km

Difficulty: This hike is rated medium, I would say it’s easy except for the very last mile which has very steep and rocky switchbacks.

Elevation Gain: 3159 ft

Getting to the Trailhead

The trek that gets you closest to Mt Fitz Roy (without actually climbing it) is called “Laguna de los Tres”. You can find the trailhead at the north-west side of El Chalten (at the end of Avenida San Martin). You’ll see an enormous sign for “Senda al Fitz Roy”.

The Hike

About five minutes into the hike, you begin the ascent. After this short but steep climb, the trail stays relatively flat for a while, passing several Miradors. The wind was really tough in some areas of this hike (especially the open fields), so I’d highly recommend a wind proof jacket and a neck warmer.

You’ll pass a camp in the woods, and then arrive at a few small rivers. Log walkways will help you along. This was a really picturesque area if you have time to stop.

The final part is a steep trail with large rocks. This was honestly the only hard part of the hike, trekking poles would have been useful here.

Once I reached the top, I sat and enjoyed a hoagie in front of the Fitz Roy. I’ve never had a prettier view for lunch. I also hiked over to the left hand side for a view of the second lagoon (Laguna Sucia). There’s a lot of areas to explore up here, so I’d spend some time at the summit if you have it. If you visit in their summer, the sun doesn’t go down until 11pm at night, which is perfect for long hikes.

And once you’re back down the mountain, head to one of the bars in Chalten for a few Patagonia beers! I recommend Humo Smokehouse for the atmosphere 🙂