From San Rafael, through National Route 143, until entering RP 173, which leads us to Valle Grande, who leads us to the area of Valle Grande, gateway to the majestic Atuel Canyon. The Valle Grande reservoir, whose singular beauty is enhanced by walls of two hundred and fifty meters from the edge to the water mirror, site in which the Canyon is wider and deeper. Here they practice a great variety of water sports. Going through the Atuel Canyon, always going up the homonymous river, you can see the majestic walls in reddish, yellowish, ocher and grayish tones, which make up immense rock formations. In the interior of the Atuel Canyon there is a complex system of hydroelectric power stations. Finally, the Villa del Nihuil is accessed. In this site is the largest reservoir in Mendoza. At 85 km from the aforementioned village, the El Nihuil Reservoir marks the end of the Atuel Canyon. On the left bank, Villa Nihuil allows access to the Salinas El Diamante and the Dunas del Nihuil, an extensive desert of 30,000 hectares in which its hills reach more than 200 meters in height. A circuit of unique volcanic sand. While it is not easy to get to the area, it is worth doing. The supply of fuel for the vehicle must be done in the City of San Rafael before leaving and then before returning to the exit of El Nihuil.
The return, to complete this circuit, is made from El Nihuil by RP180 to intercept the RN 144, descending the Cuesta de los Terneros, from the Sierra Pintada to San Rafael, where the vehicles pass through old footprints that lead to quarries
of stone and climb on rocks in inclined planes; and the last section, RN 143 (Avenida Balloffet).
