Whether it’s a single-day hike or as part of a week-long trek, visitors flock to Torres del Paine to ascend to the lakefront viewpoint at the base of the three towers. The endpoint of the Mirador las Torres hike is deservedly one of the most iconic natural views in the world.
Because of its popularity, this out-and-back route can get extremely crowded, particularly during the single-track sections near the top. But the payoff is worth sacrificing some solitude.
I hiked to Mirador las Torres on a Thursday in January, right at the height of Chilean tourist season. Unfortunately, I had come down with a cold, so I barely slept the night before and couldn’t breathe through my nose. That wasn’t about to stop me – as with many people, this was a big part of why I was in Torres del Paine in the first place – but it made an already arduous hike an even more substantial endeavor. One element working in my favor was that the hike starts at only 500’ altitude and barely crosses 3,000’, which is a huge fitness advantage when hiking in Patagonia.
The Route
From the parking lot and visitor’s center, my GPS captured Mirador las Torres as 13.6 miles total, entirely out-and-back. (This changes somewhat when hiked as part of the O- or W-trek.) That distance differs slightly from information found elsewhere and from very approximate signage along the way. This is mainly because the official trailhead is not where most people begin the hike (at the visitors center), but rather a bit down the road by the very luxurious Hotel las Torres (over $2,000/night). All distances referenced here start at the welcome center.
For 1.4 miles, the trail traverses the pampa at the foot of the Paine mountain range. This portion is entirely flat, alongside the road that leads to the Hotel las Torres. At 1.3, the trail crosses the Ascencio River for the first time – the trail follows this river through the Ascencio Valley, and crosses it twice more.
At 1.4, the trail splits – bearing left leads to the Valle Francés, and for Mirador las Torres you turn right. At this point the initial ascent begins. The trail climbs from about 500’ to 1,500’ over the course of 1.6 miles before flattening out. For this portion, the trail is a mix of dirt, scree, and occasional tree roots, and the hiking trail forms a double helix with a separate horse trail, which receives the right-of-way at the numerous crossings.
The view behind me became more astonishing every time I turned around, looking out over the yellow-green pampas and deep blue lakes that characterize the park – I also saw a condor during this portion. I did my best to resist the impulse of turning around too frequently, knowing that I would be returning back down the same route in the afternoon.
The trail flattens 2.9 miles into the hike before turning into a slight descent with open views of the valley below. At this point, the horse trail ends and hikers start sharing the narrow path with horses carrying tourists and burros carrying supplies up to the refuge. Shortly before mile 4, the trail makes a fairly sharp descent and crosses back over the Ascencio River, where the Refugio Chileno is located. Restrooms, food, and water are available here, as are bunks for thru-hikers.
Past the refuge, the previously open trail turns into a thickly forested path at river level, slowly climbing along the rapids. The surface is soft with few tree roots and the ascent is more gradual than the other portions of the route, climbing 600’ over two miles. There isn’t much to see due to the trees, and there’s a few staircases. The trail crosses back over the river for the final time.
After a series of staircases, the trail flattens again and comes out into an open clearing (mile 5.9). Down to the right there is a ranger station, restrooms, and a helipad for emergencies. Straight ahead, the trail continues, and a sign indicates one kilometer to the summit. Do not believe it! There is still a full mile left, which is by far the most challenging and narrow part of the hike.
The final mile climbs nearly 1,000’ through narrow staircases of rocks and roots, and over fields of scree and boulders. I started to really feel my sickness at this point, as the sharp incline made it hard to catch my breath and the wind above the treeline really picked up. The trail is single file for most of the final mile, and it felt incredibly crowded.
After a final traverse hopping from rock to rock, I climbed the final boulder, and the view opened up, where still turquoise water meets the grey stone face of the Torres del Paine.
This legendary view is awe-inspiring in person. Unfortunately, the cold wind really began to make itself known at the summit, and even with all my layers on (and hat and gloves), I was too under the weather to appreciate the landscape as much as I’d have liked. It didn’t help that I was short of breath and couldn’t stomach much more than a granola bar. Oh well — at least I made it. After debating whether to take a longer rest or get out of the wind, I elected for the latter and headed back down.
Because I had started the hike early and hiked relatively quickly, there hadn’t been much two-way traffic until the final part of the ascent. That certainly was not the case anymore, with a steady stream of hikers on steep, loose single-track coming the opposite way. This required frequent stops to let uphill hikers through until a gap allowed me to continue downhill. This mile was the least pleasant part of the hike, but once back to the ranger station clearing, the incline mellows out and the trail widens.
The trail follows the same route back down — through the forest, past the Refuge Chileno, briefly uphill, down alongside the river, and across the pampa to the visitors center. (A quick description for what felt very long.) I was famished by the end, but my stomach settled on the downhill and flats, so I was able to eat my sandwich once back at the trailhead, along with a $6 gatorade. The visitors center also sells beer, snacks, and souvenirs.
The Mirador las Torres hike unquestionably deserves its legendary reputation. I wish I hadn’t been sick, but fortunately it wasn’t severe enough to fully take me out of comission. Overcrowding on this trail is a reality and worth considering in advance — start early to avoid the worst of it, and be prepared to be patient for the mile before and after the top.
If you’re looking for solitude, pretty much any other hike in Torres del Paine will lead you to it. But this one leads you to one of the most magnificent views in the world. To me, it was worth the tradeoff.
