Driving the winding and hairpinned 24-Zig Road in China
China, asia
4 km
264 m
hard
Year-round
Just outside Qinglong in Guizhou, China, sits the legendary 24-Zig Road. Picture this: a mountain road twisting and turning with *twenty-four* hairpin bends! Built during World War II to ferry crucial supplies, this road is an "S" shaped climb up a seriously steep 60-degree slope. It's only about 4km (2.5 miles) long and 5 meters wide, but packs a punch!
Back in the day, this road saw over 2,000 supply-laden trucks *daily*. Legend says drivers prayed for survival before tackling it, and for good reason—it was notorious for rollovers! Despite what you might think, it wasn't part of the famous Burma Road, but a vital connector between Kunming and Chongqing.
Located in southwestern Guizhou, the road's unpaved, rugged surface adds to the adventure. You'll hear it called "24-zig" or "24 Zigzags." These days it's mostly used by motorbikes and three-wheelers, but its historical significance is undeniable. The road became a national monument in 2006.
Prepare for an elevation gain! You’ll climb 264 meters (866 feet) over 3.5 km (2.2 miles), starting at 1,296 meters (4,252 feet) and topping out at 1,560 meters (5,118 feet). That’s an average gradient of around 8%. And the best part? There's a viewing platform across the valley to capture the whole zig-zagging spectacle!
Where is it?
Driving the winding and hairpinned 24-Zig Road in China is located in China (asia). Coordinates: 39.0015, 105.5323
Road Details
- Country
- China
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 4 km
- Max Elevation
- 264 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 39.0015, 105.5323
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