Piedra del Indio, Coyhaique Chile

There are a bunch of great places to visit in Coyhaique, and one of the quickest and easiest is the Piedra del Indio. It’s a natural rock formation that’s located above the Simpson River within walking distance of Coyhaique.

Piedra del Indio is a popular landmark for tourists and tour buses that come from Puerto Aysen, Chile.

Most blogs and travel brochures mention the Indian Head. It even has its own location page on Instagram.

Indian Head above the Rio Simpson

The photo above is probably the most common view of the Indian Head. The photo is taken from the cable bridge over the Simpson River.

Obviously I could’ve zoomed in with a different lens to show the contours of rock a little better, but I wanted to show the view that most people are probably going to get with their phones.

Fall in Coyhaique, Chile

Fall colors typically peak during the month of April and the tall Alamo trees are especially beautiful.

Walking down the small road to the bridge just after sunrise is a super peaceful way of experiencing the view.

Coyhaique does not get up early on the weekends and especially as the weather gets colder so you can basically have the view to yourself most mornings.

History of the Piedra Del Indio

The rock has a distinct Indian-like profile according to many people, and apparently those that gave it its name. The cultural legend is that two Tehuelche Indians carved their feelings of love in the rock, which then became immortal.

They also believe that the body of a woman can be seen on the head of the sculpture. I don’t believe most people really care or take note of the history, but rather just go to see it since it’s accessible and reasonably interesting.

Where is Piedra del Indio?

Follow the road, Camino Piedra del Indio, as seen on the map above to the small bridge that crosses the Rio Simpson (Simpson River). From the bridge you will have an excellent view of the Piedra del Indio.

Piedra Del Indio Bridge

The bridge is currently closed to vehicles due to structural issues, so you’ll have to park on or beside the road on either end of the bridge.

This is actually great though if the whole point of visiting the bridge is to enjoy the view. They’ll be no traffic and you can stay as long as you want without worrying about squeezing in next to the guardrails while vehicles pass.

Walk across the bridge and follow a few well worn paths to the river and get a great view of the suspension bridge from below.

If you visit for the purpose of shooting photos, I’d highly recommend you visit in the spring or fall, and or try to time it with some beautiful or dramatic weather like a fresh snow fall. The winter view is a bit blah.

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The Aysen region of Chile is an underrated destination in Patagonia. The Piedra Del Indio is just a tiny party of the gems waiting to be visited and enjoyed!