An epic road to Roque de los Muchachos on the Canary Islands

Roque de los Muchachos is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.423m (7,949ft) above sea level, located on the island of La Palma on the Canary Islands in Spain. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.

Roque de los Muchachos

Is the road to Roque de los Muchachos paved?

The road to the summit is fully paved. It’s called Carretera al Roque de los Muchachos. Fog, clouds and snow make the road dangerous. The drive is not for the faint of heart and drivers should expect bends and hairpin turns on the way. For those who suffer from vertigo it is best to prepare yourself beforehand. The final part of the road is extremely defiant: very narrow and with dangerous drop-offs.

Is the road to Roque de los Muchachos open?

Nestled at the highest point of La Palma, the summit hosts the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM), one of the largest arrays of telescopes in the world. It’s one of the best places in the world for stargazing. The road was built for access to the astronomical observatory. The last stretch of road is open during the day only. At night, the road is closed to the public. Since it is a mountain road, you have to climb slowly and carefully.

How long is the road to Roque de los Muchachos?

The road to the summit is 3.8km (2.36 miles) long, starting at LP-4 road. Over this distance the elevation gain is 277 meters. The average gradient is 7.28%, hitting a 12% through some of the ramps. It is a drive-to summit, with a developed asphalt road right to the top, with a small parking lot right on the summit and an information booth right there.

Is Roque de los Muchachos worth the drive?

The beautiful drive is definitely worth it and offers spectacular views. Roque de los Muchachos has one of the clearest skies on the planet thanks to the climatic conditions and its unique physical characteristics. From the summit, you can see the islands of Tenerife, El Hierro and La Gomera.
Pic: http://www.obrapublicalapalma.com/fotos-hielo-y-nieve-en-el-roque-de-los-muchachos/

 

 

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