Ortiz Peak

Ortiz Peak

Usa, north-america

Length

N/A

Elevation

3,423 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure junkies, listen up! Ever heard of Ortiz Peak in Taos County, New Mexico? This bad boy sits way up high at 11,230 feet! Seriously, it's one of the highest drives you can do in the whole state.

Heads up, though: the road to the top is a real gravel grinder – think rocks and rugged terrain. Winter? Forget about it, totally impassable. If unpaved mountain roads aren't your thing, maybe skip this one. A 4x4 is a must. And if you get queasy looking down, this might not be your cup of tea either – it's STEEP. But the views? Totally worth the white knuckles!

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Road Details

Country
Usa
Continent
north-america
Max Elevation
3,423 m
Difficulty
hard

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