Cuesta de Miranda

The Cuesta de Miranda carries the RN40 over the Sierra de Famatina foothills between Villa Unión and Chilecito, and it is one of the most striking mountain roads in western Argentina. The route follows a gorge of intensely red rock, crossing and recrossing the Miranda river, then climbs in a long series of bends, historically counted at close to three hundred, to a pass at around 2,000 metres. The old road, built in the 1920s with stone parapets, ran narrow and unpaved along the edge; today a modern paved highway carries the traffic, with viewpoints where the whole gorge unfolds in bands of crimson and ochre against green scrub. Condors are frequently seen riding the thermals above the canyon.

What you actually see

• The red gorge - crimson and ochre rock walls along the river.
• The bends - the long switchback climb to the pass at 2,000 metres.
• The viewpoints - roadside stops overlooking the whole canyon.
• The old road - remains of the 1920s stone-walled route below the new one.

When to go

April to November for the clearest conditions; summer storms can bring rockfall and flash floods through the gorge. Late afternoon light makes the red rock glow. The crossing takes about an hour without stops.

Honest expectations

This is a drive, not a walk, and there are no trails to speak of. The road is well made but winding, and trucks are frequent. In poor weather visibility drops fast and the gorge can be closed for clearing.

Nearby

Chilecito lies east; Villa Unión and the Talampaya road are west.