All
national
parks
have
routes
of
public
access,
though
many
of
the
ones
in
more
isolated
areas
-
Baritú,
Perito
Moreno,
and
Santiago
del
Estero's
Copo,
for
example
-
are
not
served
by
any
public
transport
or
even
tour
vehicles,
and
the
only
way
of
visiting
is
by
renting
your
own
transport.
Most
parks
are
free
to
visit,
but
in
some
of
the
more
touristy
ones,
there's
often
a
fee
(usually
$5
per
visit),
which
is
charged
at
the
park
gate.
Scenic
attractions
such
as
the
falls
in
Iguazú,
Cerro
Trondador
and
the
Isla
Victoria
in
Nahuel
Huapi,
or
the
Perito
Moreno
Glacier
in
Los
Glaciares,
thus
serve
to
generate
funds
for
less
commercial
parks
that
are
still
vitally
important
from
an
ecological
perspective.
In
certain
of
the
larger
parks,
such
as
Nahuel
Huapi
and
Lanín,
you
are
charged
only
to
access
the
areas
not
served
by a
main
public
highway.
Camping
is
possible
in
virtually
all
parks,
and
sites
are
graded
according
to
three
categories:
camping
libre
sites,
which
are
free
but
have
no
or
very
few
services
(perhaps
a
latrine
and
sometimes
a
shower
block);
camping
agreste
sites,
charging
$2
per
person,
which
are
run
as
concessions
and
provide
a
minimum
of
hot
water,
showers,
toilets,
places
for
lighting
a
campfire,
and
usually
some
sort
of
small
shop;
and
camping
organizado
sites,
charged
at
about
$5
per
person,
which
have
more
services,
including
electricity
and
often
some
sort
of
restaurant.
In
some
areas,
Bariloche
being
the
most
obvious
example,
local
climbing
clubs
maintain
a
network
of
refuges
for
trekkers
and
climbers.
These
range
in
quality
from
free
places
with
ground
space
for
sleeping
bags
but
no
services,
to
others
costing
up
to
$10
per
person
per
night,
with
mattresses
and
meals
available,
and
a
small
shop
on
site.
Always
try
to
be
environmentally
responsible
on
your
visit.
Stick
to
marked
trails,
camp
only
at
authorized
sites,
take
all
litter
with
you
(don't
burn
it),
bury
all
toilet
waste
and
choose
a
spot
at
least
30m
away
from
all
water
sources,
and
use
detergents
or
toothpastes
as
sparingly
as
possible,
choosing
biodegradable
options
such
as
glycerine
soap.
Above
all,
please
pay
particular
respect
to
the
fire
risk
in
all
parks.
Every
year,
fires
destroy
huge
swathes
of
forest,
and
virtually
all
of
these
are
started
by
hand:
some
deliber
ately,
but
most
because
of
an
unpardonable
negligence.
As
ever,
one
of
the
prime
culprits
is
the
cigarette
butt,
often
casually
tossed
out
of a
car
window,
but
just
as
bad
are
campfires
-
both
ones
that
are
poorly
tended
and
ones
that
are
poorly
extinguished.
Woodland
becomes
tinder-dry
in
summer
droughts,
and,
especially
in
places
such
as
Patagonia,
it
is
vulnerable
to
the
sparks
carried
by
the
strong
winds.
Once
started,
winds,
inaccessibility,
and
limited
water
resources
mean
that
fires
can
turn
into
infernos
that
can
blaze
for
weeks
on
end,
and
much
fire-damaged
land
never
regenerates
its
growth.
Many
parks
have
a
complete
ban
on
lighting
campfires
and
trekkers
are
asked
to
take
stoves
upon
which
to
do
their
cooking:
please
respect
this.
Others
ban
fires
during
high-risk
periods.
The
most
environmentally
responsible
approach
is
to
avoid
lighting
campfires
at
all:
even
dead
wood
has
a
role
to
play
in
often
fragile
ecosystems.
If
you
do
need
to
light
one,
never
choose
a
spot
on
peaty
soil,
as
peat,
once
it
has
caught,
becomes
virtually
impossible
to
put
out.
Choose
a
spot
on
stony
or
sandy
soil,
use
only
fallen
wood,
and
always
extinguish
the
fire
with
water,
not
earth,
stirring
up
the
ashes
to
ensure
all
embers
are
quenched.
