Puerto de la Cubilla: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide
Spain, europe
28 km
1,692 m
hard
Year-round
Puerto de la Cubilla is a stunning high mountain pass sitting at 1,692 meters (5,551 feet) in Spain's northwestern corner, right where León province meets Asturias. Locals call it the Spanish Galibier—pretty cool nickname, right? It's tucked away in the Parque Natural Las Ubiñas y de la Mesa, with a handy parking lot waiting for you at the top.
The Asturian side is fully paved (that's the LN-8), and it's a legitimately impressive climb. Starting from Campomanes, you're looking at 28 kilometers of winding mountain road with 1,305 meters of elevation gain. The average gradient sits around 4.66%, but don't let that fool you—there are sections that kick up to a gnarly 10%. This road's got some serious credentials too: it's been featured in the Vuelta a España. The upside? Traffic is virtually nonexistent.
Fair warning though: winter can be rough on this road. The Cantabrian Mountains throw some nasty weather at it, so you'll spot some bumpy patches that deserve your respect on the descent. The good news is the road usually stays open year-round, though occasional winter closures happen when conditions get truly gnarly.
Want to explore the other side? The Castile side is completely unpaved, so you'll need a high-clearance vehicle if you're adventurous enough to tackle it. Either way, this is one seriously rewarding mountain drive.
Where is it?
Puerto de la Cubilla: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide is located in Spain (europe). Coordinates: 38.4673, -4.4916
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 28 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,692 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 38.4673, -4.4916
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