Refúgio El Peñón

Refúgio El Peñón is a historic stone backcountry shelter in the Andes, located by the access route to Reserva Provincial Laguna Brava on RN 76 in La Rioja, Argentina. The structure dates to the 1860s–1873 period and was built to provide protection for travelers moving through the high country between Argentina and Chile.

The refuge consists of a circular stone-and-mortar shell with a single entrance and a ventilation opening at the top; its dome-like shape was intended to withstand strong Andean winds. Use is tied to the old arriero route through the Pircas Negras pass area, and the shelters in this system were used until at least the 1960s.