This isolated national park hugs the desert coastline 40km north of Huasco. It generally sees little traffic, except in those years when the desierto florido bursts into bloom. There is also an interesting selection of cacti, flighty guanacos and canny foxes.
The park is accessible only by private vehicle. It consists of a coastal sector south of Carrizal Bajo around Punta Los Pozos, and an inland sector along the Quebrada Carrizal, 15km southeast of Carrizal Bajo. You can guerrilla (free) camp at Playa Blanca near the park's entrance. There are good beach breaks along the coast here: good news for surfers, bad news for swimmers.
From Huasco, take the decaying asphalt road along the coast north from the nearby farming village of Huasco Bajo. Alternatively, a reasonable dirt road leaves the Panamericana 40km north of Vallenar.
