Cajas National Park · Walking route

Cajas Route 4: Historic Paths

Old paths from Cerro Tres Cruces past Laguna Larga and Laguna Togllacocha to the junction with Route 7.

Mapped distance: 3.6 kmMapped as far as the Route 7 junction
Walking time: 4 h 05ETAPA estimate for the full route
Difficulty: Moderate
Average altitude: 3,976 m

The route

Follow the path from Tres Cruces past Laguna Larga and Togllacocha to the junction with Route 7.

Relief map of Ruta 4 · Caminos Históricos — Map: © OpenStreetMap · Relief: Copernicus

Highlight this route on the map

Elevation profile

≈ 3,853–4,154 m

Total gain: ≈ 30 m
Total loss: ≈ 320 m

In the direction shown below. Walking in reverse swaps gain and loss.

4,200 m3,850 m

0 km1.8 km3.6 km

Approximate terrain elevation · Copernicus GLO-30

If returning along the same path

7.2 km · gain ≈ 350 m · loss ≈ 350 m

These totals include walking the highlighted path both ways. For a crossing, arrange onward travel from the end.

By car, allow time to get back to your parking place. By bus, plan your finishing stop and the last service before setting out.

Download GPX

Cerro Tres CrucesStart
Laguna Larga
Laguna Togllacocha
Ruta 7End

Before you walk

Register at the control
Ask which way the route is marked that day, and stay on it.
Start early
No walk may start or continue after 16:00.
Dress for cold and rain
Warm waterproof layers, good shoes, water and food. The weather changes fast at this altitude.
Stay out of the lakes
Swimming and wading are not allowed.

Getting there: Start in the Toreadora / Tres Cruces area. Plan your walk back or transport from the finish before setting out. Transport and registration

More Cajas routes

1Nature and Human History5.5 km · 5 h 05 · Moderate
2Cerro San Luis Summit2.6 km · 3 h 50 · High
3Quinuas Valley7.9 km · 6 h 55 · Moderate
4Historic Paths3.6 km · 4 h 05 · Moderate
5Avilahuaycu Summit1.8 km · 6 h 20 · High
6Burines Valley6.1 km · 5 h 50 · High
7Inca Road and Great Lakes15 km · 14 h 10 · High
8Gran Osohuaycu12.4 km · 7 h 00 · High
9García Moreno Road1.6 km · 1 h 00 · Moderate

Compare all nine routes →

Plan your visit

Sources

Path and distance from OpenStreetMap, checked 16 October 2026. Route name, difficulty, average altitude and estimated walking time from ETAPA; its published distance may differ.

Only the connected OSM paths named Ruta 4 are highlighted, ending at the Ruta 7 junction. They measure about 3.6 km, while ETAPA’s current catalogue lists 6.79 km. The older guide’s final waypoint is farther west; that continuation is unresolved.

OSM paths checked 16 October 2026. The 2012 ETAPA guide covers Routes 1–6.

Elevation profiles use Copernicus GLO-30 terrain, approximately 31 m resolution, sampled every 50 m or less and smoothed over three samples. Gain and loss sum the changes within each section and are rounded to 10 m. Disconnected sections remain separate; gaps add no distance or elevation change.

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