The road with 18 sharp hairpin turns to Özlükent

The road with 18 sharp hairpin turns to Özlükent

Turkey, europe

Length

6 km

Elevation

N/A

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Özlükent, a cute little town nestled on Turkey's Black Sea coast in Ordu Province, is hiding a secret: a wild road leading right to its doorstep. This isn't your average Sunday drive!

Built back in 2013 for a power station project on the Melet River, the road became a favorite shortcut for locals connecting Özlükent with Darıcabaşı. Forget the old 2.5-hour trek – this route slashes the journey down to a breezy 30 minutes!

But hold on tight, because this shortcut comes with a thrill. The 6km (3.72 miles) ascent from the power plant is seriously steep, climbing a whopping 760 meters! That's an average gradient of 12.66% – you'll feel it! Prepare for 18 hairpin turns that will test your driving skills (and maybe your nerves). Keep an eye out after it rains; mudslides can make things extra exciting!

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Road Details

Country
Turkey
Continent
europe
Length
6 km
Difficulty
hard

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