Visiting Tierra del Fuego -- the end of the Pan American Highway

spring wildflower, perhaps
Caltha sagittata
buttercup family, Ranunculaceae

On a sunny day in November, 2008, I visited Tierra del Fuego National Park, near Ushuaia in southernmost Argentina. Although we arrived in Ushuaia to cold snowy conditions, it was spring and in the open areas weeds and spring wildflowers were flowering.

spring flowers, Tierra del Fuego

dandelions, Taraxacum officinale
Tierra del Fuego

It is not far from the park to the southernmost point on the PanAmerican Highway.  Here are a couple of pictures from along that drive:

Along the southernmost part of the Pan American Highway

Scrubby forest, Tierra del Fuego

And then we reached the end of the road:

Sign at the end of the
Pan American Highway

This sign marks the southern end of the Pan American Highway which begins in Alaska. It runs the length of the Americas, although it is not passable in the rain forests of Panama. The Pan American Highway reaches Tierra del Fuego as Route 3. 









At the bottom of the sign it says: "You are here. End of Route 3."






And if you turn to look south beyond the sign, this is the view. The continuous land ends and there are only islands to the south until you reach Antarctica.

Looking south from the end of the Pan American Highway

Comments and corrections welcome.

Kathy Keeler

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