
Driving the 4x4 road to Collada de la Gallina
Spain, europe
14.4 km
1,912 m
hard
Year-round
Collada de la Gallina is a jaw-dropping international mountain pass sitting at 1,912m (6,272ft) in the eastern Pyrenees, straddling the border between Spain and Andorra. This isn't your average Sunday drive—it's a serious, demanding climb that'll test both your skills and your nerve.
On the Andorran side, you're looking at a fully paved route that typically opens from April through November. The road stretches 14.4 km (8.94 miles) from Bixessarri up to Fontaneda, and it's packed with challenges: 33 hairpin turns and some brutally steep sections that regularly hit gradients above 14.5%. It's been tough enough to feature in Spain's prestigious Vuelta race. The good news? Hardly anyone drives up here, so you'll have the mountain mostly to yourself.
If you're approaching from the Spanish side near Civís, prepare yourself for something different. You're trading pavement for a rough, narrow unpaved road that demands a 4x4 vehicle to handle safely. This shorter route covers just 4.2 km (2.60 miles) but climbs 385 meters with an average gradient of 9.16%—still no joke, even if it sounds easier on paper.
The pass connects Catalonia's province of Lleida with Andorra's parish of Sant Julià de Lòria, making it a thrilling frontier crossing for adventurous drivers who can handle serious mountain terrain.
Where is it?
Driving the 4x4 road to Collada de la Gallina is located in Spain (europe). Coordinates: 40.5733, -2.5722
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 14.4 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,912 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 40.5733, -2.5722
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