Richard Harwood

Chile - 2001

Cajon de Maipo

Cajon de Maipo

The Cajon de Maipo (canyon of the Maipo River) is located southeast of Santiago. It is a popular weekend resort and recreational area for the residents of the capital. For much of the canyon, the valley bottom is relatively flat with steep valley walls. Geologically, the canyon is dominated by multiple layers of volcanic rocks of the Andes Mountains. The canyon also supports a large population of a type of barrel cactus. I only spent a single afternoon in the canyon, riding along the main highway and stopping at various locations and seeing the sights.