Los Cardones National Park


The Los Cardones National Park is a national park of Argentina, located in the center-west of the province of Salta, within the San Carlos and Cachi Departments, in the Argentine Northwest.

Location

The park protects an area of the Argentine Monte ecoregion.
The park has an area of 650 square kilometres, with hills and ravines at the height levels between 2,700 m and 5,000 m. It gets its name from the prevalence of bush formations of cardon grande cactus. It features fossil remains of extinct animals, as well as dinosaur tracks.
The protected area was created in 1996, when the National Parks Administration acquired the land from private owners.

Climate

Most of the park has an arid climate that is characterized by a large thermal amplitude. The park receives an average rainfall of ; most of it falling between November to March. Snowfall is extremely rare in low-lying areas. Mean temperatures range from in winter to in summer.

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