The Los Cardones National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Los Cardones) is a
national park of
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, located in the center-west of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Salta
Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Argentine province of the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the 7th most-populous city in Argentina. The city serves as the cultural and economic ce ...
, within the San Carlos and Cachi Departments, in the
Argentine Northwest
The Argentine Northwest (''Noroeste Argentino'') is a geographic and historical region of Argentina composed of the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán.
Geography
The Argentine Northwest comprises ...
.
Location
The park protects an area of the
High Monte
The High Monte is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in Argentina.
Geography
The High Monte is located on the eastern slopes of the Andes, extending from the vicinity of Salta (24º S) south to Mendoza (32º S). It is a landscape of m ...
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
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in deser ...
that is characterized by a large thermal amplitude (large difference between day and night temperatures).
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.][
]
Gallery
File:Pncardones.jpg, Cardones.
File:Los_Cardones_National_Park._Salta-Argentina..jpg, Cardones.
File:Camino a Cachi.jpg, Road to Cachi.
File:Los Cardones National Park 09.jpg, Cardon grande cactus
File:Pn los cardones logo.png, Logo.
References
Administración de Parques Nacionales
- National Parks Administration of Argentina (in Spanish and English)
National parks of Argentina
Protected areas of Salta Province
Protected areas established in 1996
High Monte
{{Protected-area-stub