The Cajón del Maipo in Winter: Snow, the El Yeso Road and Tours

Can you go to the Cajón del Maipo today? The valley, yes: the picnic tours have kept running through the closures of 2026, on a changed route. The road to Embalse El Yeso, no: on 11 November 2026 the last stretch of it is closed to all motor vehicles, under a resolution that runs “until the month of November 2026” and names no end day.

So winter here is less about cold than about which roads are open. If snow is what you are after and El Yeso is a bonus, reviewers in October 2026 found snow on the alternate route; if the reservoir is the whole point, wait for a reopening notice.

The El Yeso road, April to November

The ban dates from a 2018 resolution of the Santiago regional transport authority (Res. 5.615 exenta of 5 September 2018): no motor vehicles on Ruta G-455, the El Yeso road, from km 21.7 (sector Las Cáscaras), starting in April each year. The end month is changed by later resolutions. In 2026 it was pushed to September (Res. 5.275), then to October (Res. 5.655, Diario Oficial of 9 October) after reports of snow on the upper slopes, unstable banks and rockfall, and then to November (Res. 6.257, Diario Oficial of 6 November) after warnings of mass movements and a high probability of avalanches. The details and dates are in our El Yeso guide.

On the closure days the tours went elsewhere in the valley. At least 25 reviews of Oliveira Chile’s picnic day, dated 8 October to 4 November 2026, describe a different route, often with snow: Lagunillas, Salto El Yeso, Las Melosas, the El Volcán viewpoint. Two things reviewers wished they had known: whether the road was closed before they set off, and that the gear rented at the breakfast stop was not always needed.

The parks in winter

• Embalse El Yeso park (Asociación Parque Cordillera): in its winter mode the park runs one route, to Laguna del Encañado and Laguna Negra, for guides and tour operators only. On 11 November 2026 its board showed the park as closed.
• Monumento Natural El Morado (CONAF): open in winter, Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 to 17:00 from April to September, last entry 12:30, according to Pases Parques, CONAF’s ticket system. Footwear fit for walking on snow is compulsory; hours change with the weather. CONAF lists rockfall, avalanches, snowfall, rain and mudflows as the trail’s risks from May to September. More in the El Morado guide.

What the tours do about snow

The picnic day is on sale for winter dates: per the calendar of 11 November 2026, 14 July 2027 was on sale with all three options at US$45, US$65 and US$80. On MTO Tour Chile's folk and picnic day, snow clothing and equipment can be rented along the route in the snow season, not included in the price. Oliveira Chile sells the gear in advance as its US$80 option, with boots, trousers and a jacket. Oliveira Chile's Salto El Yeso and El Volcán day warns that snow depends on the season and the weather, and that the itinerary may be adjusted for safety or road conditions.

See winter dates for the picnic day

How to plan a winter or spring date

1. Look for a new resolution in the Diario Oficial before you book: the ban has been extended a month at a time.
2. Book with free cancellation, and note the deadline: 24 hours before the start, which is earlier than the operator’s pickup message (sent after 8:30 p.m. the evening before).
3. Dress for snow even if you skip the rental: see what to bring.
4. If the reservoir is closed and you don’t want the alternate day, a hot springs day runs on the other road.