Parque Natural Provincial La Reina is located in the town of San Juan de Dios in the Departamento San Pedro; the site was formerly known as Finca Las Lauras. The park gives the town a clear connection to nature. Its landscape cannot be reduced to a single type of forest: the Yungas here include vegetation zones from different elevation levels.
Yungas Landscape and Biodiversity
The park’s landscape includes transitional forests, mountain rainforests, montane forests and patches of cloud grassland. The differences across the elevation levels make the range of Yungas vegetation visible. Nature enthusiasts will therefore find not just a general connection to forests, but several explicitly identified vegetation types.
More than 333 plant species, 275 bird species, 36 mammal species, 19 reptile species and 17 amphibian species have been recorded in Parque La Reina.
A specific conservation measure is also part of the park’s story: on June 13, 2025, three rehabilitated native wild birds were released there—a Lechuzón negruzco (Asio stygius), a Lechuza de campanario (Tyto alba) and a Tucán grande (Ramphastos toco). The event adds a glimpse into the work of rehabilitating native wild birds to the landscape and biodiversity.
Project Goals and Planned Facilities
The project for Parque Natural Provincial La Reina sets out goals including hiking, wildlife observation, environmental education and scientific tourism. If you are planning a visit to the park, check the current access arrangements in advance.
As of the March 4, 2026, plan, a visitor center with a camping area, sanitary facilities and viewpoints was planned. An initial route plan for hiking trails was also included.
Local History and the Corredor Verde
A cultural perspective on San Juan de Dios comes from a documented patron saint celebration in 2013. The program included a procession through the town, a mass in the local chapel, school and gaucho delegations, and a community lunch. This is a historical example of a celebration in the town, not information about a current event date.
San Juan de Dios and Parque Provincial La Reina are both part of the Corredor Verde de las Yungas Jujeñas. In June 2026, the corridor was described as suitable for active and nature tourism and as part of a tourism development initiative whose framework may continue to evolve.
The Corredor Verde process also continued across the wider region. Representatives from San Juan de Dios took part; in June 2026, additional surveys of trails and viewpoints, as well as support measures for local tourism providers, were planned.
Another Cultural Highlight in Departamento San Pedro
At the level of Departamento San Pedro, the necrotourism program at Cristo Rey Cemetery adds a cultural focus to the nature-related themes. Launched in 2023, the program presents the cemetery’s artistic, architectural and historical richness, as well as local legends about notable people buried there. Regular guided tours are part of the program. This gives visitors to Departamento San Pedro a different way to explore history and culture alongside San Juan de Dios’s connection to nature.
Discover more destinations: Cafayate, El Molino, Antilla, General GĂĽemes, Chicoana, El EncĂłn, CachĂ, San RamĂłn De La Nueva Orán.
For the overall travel guide: Salta.
