
How long is Y290 road in the Chilean Patagonia?
Chile, south-america
70.3 km
255 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're in Chilean Patagonia, near the Argentinian border, cruising along the Y290, also known as Camino Milodon Porteño or Carretera Cueva del Milodon. This road is a total gem, straddling the Torres de Paine and Última Esperanza provinces.
The Y290 stretches for about 70.3 km (43.68 miles), connecting the smooth, paved Route CH-9 to the rugged, unpaved Y-150. Set aside about 1.5 to 2 hours of pure driving time if you aren't planning on stopping.
Most of the road is paved, so you don’t need a special car in dry conditions. Be prepared because you're heading into some remote areas! This drive delivers seriously stunning views.
Keep in mind it has some crazy steep parts, climbing up to 255m (836ft) above sea level near Mirador Grey. If you're thinking of going in the winter, pack your tire chains due to the unpredictable weather. The sweet spot to drive this road is between December and February—Patagonian summer—winters get pretty extreme!
Road Details
- Country
- Chile
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 70.3 km
- Max Elevation
- 255 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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