
Alto de La Camperona
Spain, europe
8.5 km
1,597 m
hard
Year-round
# Alto de La Camperona: A Spanish Mountain Challenge
Tucked away in León's rugged landscape in northwestern Spain, Alto de La Camperona is a high-altitude pass sitting at 1,597 meters (5,239 feet) that'll test your driving skills and reward you with seriously impressive views.
The road itself? It's paved, which is the good news. But don't let that fool you—this route is wickedly narrow and relentlessly steep. You're looking at 8.5 kilometers of climbing with an average gradient of 7.4%, but here's where it gets gnarly: some sections hit a brutal 25% gradient that'll make your stomach do backflips.
Once you crest the summit, you'll find a welcoming bar where you can celebrate surviving the ascent, plus a cluster of communication towers marking the peak. This pass has serious credentials too—it's been conquered by professional cyclists in the Spanish Vuelta, so you'll be following in some pretty impressive tire tracks.
Bring your A-game and a vehicle you trust. This isn't your typical Sunday drive, but it's absolutely worth the white-knuckle adventure.
Where is it?
Alto de La Camperona is located in Spain (europe). Coordinates: 40.3981, -2.3005
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 8.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,597 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 40.3981, -2.3005
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