
Is Passo delle Erbe (Würzjoch) paved?
Italy, europe
44.9 km
1,993 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising through the Italian Dolomites in South Tyrol, headed for Passo delle Erbe – or Würzjoch, if you're feeling local. This baby's a fully paved road (SP29), clocking in at around 45 km (28 miles) between Brixen and San Martino in Badia, linking Val Badia and the Lüsen valley. At the top, you're rewarded with a sweet 1,993m (6,538ft) elevation, plus a hotel, restaurant, and plenty of parking.
Heads up though, this road is a bit of a wild child! Expect narrow sections where you might be playing the waiting game with oncoming traffic. And those ramps? Let's just say they can hit a seriously steep 16.3% gradient, so be prepared for a climb!
Good news: the eastern side's generally open year-round. The western side? It's more of a fair-weather friend, usually accessible from mid-spring to late autumn. Trust me, the views of the Dolomites are worth the potential nail-biting moments!
Road Details
- Country
- Italy
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 44.9 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,993 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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