
Cuesta de Miranda
Argentina, south-america
N/A
2,020 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up, road trip fans! We're heading to Argentina's La Rioja Province for a ride on the Cuesta de Miranda. This baby climbs to a cool 2,020 meters (that's 6,627 feet!) and is totally paved, so no need for a monster truck.
You'll cruise along Ruta Nacional Nº 40, a legendary route that slices through Argentina. This stretch of road took about 10 years to build back in the day, and was finally fully paved in 2015. You'll be hugging the Miranda River, but listen up: weather here can be a beast. Avalanches, heavy snow, and landslides are a real threat, and ice patches are super common. So keep an eye on the forecast and maybe avoid this one when things get dicey. Prepare for a twisty, turny adventure that keeps you on your toes.
Where is it?
Cuesta de Miranda is located in Argentina (south-america). Coordinates: -38.8048, -65.9031
Road Details
- Country
- Argentina
- Continent
- south-america
- Max Elevation
- 2,020 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -38.8048, -65.9031
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