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Río Palguín guide near Pucón: the upper Palguín class IV–V waterfall run, drops, access, season and our estimated Palguín flow today.
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The Palguín drains the slopes below Termas de Palguín and joins the Trancura between Pucón and Curarrehue, about 20 minutes from town. It is a small river with big drops, set in a scenic forested valley.
Rivers of Chile calls the upper Palguín one of the country’s best waterfall runs. Its four main drops are:
Below is a double-drop falls that is almost never run; most groups lower their boats around it. Catch the eddy on river left above it. Then about 1 km of class II–III water, including the Squeezebox rapid, leads to a small road bridge that makes a good take-out, less than 2 km by road from the put-in. The first descent was completed in the early 1990s.
Below the take-out lies a section of much bigger waterfalls for experts only. It begins with a twisting micro-gorge that has often been clogged with wood and portaged, then an 8 m falls into a large hole and a 24 m falls that formed around 2006 when two drops merged. Class IV water then continues for about another kilometre to the road. Scout everything.
The Palguín seldom gets too low, so it is a year-round option except during the high water of winter and spring. No numeric flow range is published for it.
There is no official gauge on the Palguín. On our Pucón page it is an estimate based on a gauge balance: we take the Trancura above the Llafenco, subtract the Curarrehue and Maichín readings, and give the Palguín a share of that remainder based on its catchment area (about 18%). Use it to follow trends, not as a measured flow.
Drive east from Pucón about 7 km, turn right onto the international road toward Curarrehue, and after another 10–15 km turn right at the sign for Termas de Palguín. The traditional upper put-in is about 6.9 km up that gravel road, just below the 25 m Salto Palguín: a steep trail leads to a small natural rock bridge where you launch. Land along the river is private, and spectators may be charged to view the big falls.
Every drop on this run can hurt you. Scout, set safety and check for new wood each visit, especially in the middle section.
The upper Palguín is class IV–V waterfall kayaking; the middle section is harder.
No. Our Palguín flow is an estimate from nearby DGA stations on the Trancura and Maichín.
Provisional real-time data from DGA Chile. Always scout and check conditions on the river.
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Sources: riversofchile.com/rio-palguin-upper · Updated 2026-10-26