Puente Mal Paso: The Historic Icon of the Escoipe Gorge
Argentina, south-america
N/A
N/A
extreme
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising through Northwest Argentina, Salta province to be exact, and BAM! You hit Puente Mal Paso, a seriously cool historic bridge. Think of it as the ultimate entrance to the legendary RP33, the road that winds its way up to Cuesta del Obispo and the dreamy Calchaquí Valleys. Trust me, this bridge is epic.
Nestled in the Quebrada de Escoipe, this bridge is surrounded by dramatic reddish rock formations. It's located on Provincial Route 33 (RP33). While the fancy new road now swooshes right next to it, the original bridge is still standing proud, ready for its close-up.
"Mal Paso" literally means "Bad Pass", and back in the day, it lived up to its name. Imagine horse-drawn carriages and mule teams trying to navigate this narrow gorge – river crossings were a nightmare, and the steep terrain made it super treacherous.
These days, you won't actually drive *over* the old Puente Mal Paso when you're heading from Salta to Cachi. They built a wider road right alongside it for safety and smoother traffic. But the old bridge? Total photo op. The rugged structure against those red mountains? Insta-gold.
Even though the modern road bypasses the bridge itself, the drive through the gorge is still a bit of an adventure. The road is paved, but it's narrow, with towering cliffs on one side and the Escoipe River on the other. And watch out during the summer months (December to March) – flash floods can still make "Mal Paso" live up to its reputation.
Where is it?
Puente Mal Paso: The Historic Icon of the Escoipe Gorge is located in Argentina (south-america). Coordinates: -41.5895, -65.1818
Road Details
- Country
- Argentina
- Continent
- south-america
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- -41.5895, -65.1818
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