Lago Atravesado is a glacially and tectonically formed lake situated in the comuna de Coyhaique, Región de Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, at an elevation of 287 meters above sea level. It lies approximately 25 kilometers from Coyhaique, the regional capital, and sits at coordinates 45°41′49″S, 72°17′56″W. The lake is part of a chain of lakes within the Cuenca del río Aysén, draining almost directly into Lago Elizalde and ultimately feeding the Río Blanco (Oeste), a tributary of the Río Aysén.

The surrounding landscape consists of Andean native forest, including lenga, coigüe, and ñirre, set against mountain terrain typical of northern Chilean Patagonia. The waters are cold and notably clear, fed by precipitation, snowmelt, and small streams descending from the surrounding hills. There are no urban settlements or industrial activity in the immediate area; the zone is inhabited only by dispersed rural communities engaged in subsistence livestock farming, which contributes to the lake's minimal human impact and high water quality.

Access to the lake is generally achieved by traveling the Carretera Austral to Coyhaique, from which the lake is roughly 25 kilometers distant. Coyhaique itself can be reached by air via the Balmaceda or Teniente Vidal airports, by sea via ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Chacabuco (approximately 22 hours), or overland from Argentina through border crossings such as Paso Coyhaique Alto, located 45 kilometers northeast of Coyhaique. The lake is difficult to access and removed from heavily trafficked tourist routes.

The water surface is calm, and the lake's position within a high-mountain Patagonian setting means paddlers should be prepared for cold water temperatures and variable weather conditions characteristic of the region. No specific paddling restrictions or regulated facilities for paddlers are noted.