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This reserve
owes its name to the Rio Simpson, the river which crosses
the park on its journey westward, and which is one of the
best rivers for fly-fishing.
The protected area is 40,452 hectares (88,994 acres) of
rugged geography, with some peaks reaching higher than 1,600
m (5,248 ft) above sea level, creating valleys and narrow
canyons that shelter the descending rivers. As well as the
Simpson, there are the Correntosos and Cascada de la Virgen
rivers, branches of the Simpson, both surrounded by beautiful
scenery and lush vegetation.
In terms of vegetation, there are mainly forests of coigües,
tepas, mañío, ciruelillo, canelo and tepú. There is also
chilco, which is the most abundant tree of the zone. In
terms of fauna, the huemul is found in the eastern sector,
where the geography is rocky, and on the steep slopes of
the Andean and Huemules hills. The puma,
on the other hand, lives in areas of medium altitude, spending
the summer at a higher altitude and the winter on the plains.
Other species which live in the reserve are the pudú, fox,
güiña, bandurrias, queltehues and a large variety of wild
ducks.
Among the most beautiful areas of the park are, undoubtedly,
the "Cascada de la Virgen" and the "Velo
de Novia" (Bride's Veil) waterfalls.
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