9 Roads Too Dangerous To Travel
Not every dangerous road in the world has had the distinction of being featured on Top Gear, of course. We have a sneaking suspicion that some, like the last 8 in this article, are a little too extreme even for this envelope-pushing program.
8. TURKEY’S D915 IS FOR DAREDEVILS ONLY
Sometimes known as Bayburt-Of Yolu, the D915 in Turkey’s Trabzon province is the definition of an extreme road. It links the city of Bayburt with Of, a town in the Black Sea region. The road stretches on for 106 kilometers. Over the course of it, there are 29 hairpins. Oh, and did we mention the sides are steep drop-offs with no guardrails?
This is one road where you want to be sure your handling skills are top-notch. We’d love to see the Top Gear presenters take it on, if only because we know they could handle it. Safety should come first, though, so maybe it’s a good thing they haven’t tackled this one yet.
7 HAWAII HAS SEVERAL INFAMOUS ROADS WE SHOULD AVOID
The Road to Hana, located on the Hawaiian island of Maui, is probably one of the best-known dangerous roads in the world. Hawaii, though, has no shortage of roads that will test even those with nerves of steel. The Kahekili Highway is another one.
This is a 1-lane paved road, stretching about 20 miles between Kapalua and Wailuku on Maui. You’ll have rock on one side, and sheer cliffs on the other. There are no guardrails. Combine these with snaking turns and narrow passages for a hair-raising drive. Oh, and watch out for falling rocks and mudslides too, especially if it’s just rained.
6 CHECK OUT THE “SNAIL PASS” BETWEEN CHILE AND ARGENTINA
Paso de los Caracoles, or the “Snail Pass,” is a local name for the Paso de los Libertadores. The pass, located between Chile and Argentina, is also called the Paso del Cristo Redentor. “Snail Pass” is probably an accurate name, at least on the Chilean side of the border. The road winds its way through a series of hairpins as it slowly and steadily climbs to an altitude of 3,200 meters.
Despite the number of hairpins and the amount of traffic, the pass is also considered one of the world’s most scenic drives. The Argentinean side is certainly more sedate. It gently ascends through the mountains, until it reaches the tunnel entrance.
5 THIS PERU ROAD HAS SOME CURVES
Route 3SF runs near the Urubamba Valley in southeastern Peru, wending its way through the Andes. Its most infamous section is a 10-kilometer stretch known as Curvas de Huanchaca. The name is quite apt, as there are 24 hairpin turns in those 10 kilometers. That’s about 2 turns every kilometer.
The road also climbs quite sharply, rising nearly 650 feet in altitude over that same stretch. The average grade is somewhere around 6.5%. What’s more, the road isn’t even paved, making it even more treacherous. Since it’s just wide enough for one vehicle and has no guardrails, you’d better hope you don’t meet oncoming traffic.
4 DON’T TAKE THIS MOUNTAIN TRAIL
In the Kishtwar District of Jammu and Kashmir, India, National Highway 26 turns into a dangerous trail through the high mountains. If driving 100 miles of narrow, twisting road alongside a very clear view of the valley floor thousands of feet below sounds like a good idea, we’ve got the road for you.
The road does see some traffic, because it’s the main route to the base camp at Kishtwar Kailash, although mountaineering here has become far rarer since the early 1990s. Although there are many other factors at play, we wouldn’t doubt the drive has at least a few brave souls changing their minds and turning back.
3 SKIPPERS CANYON ROAD CAN BE SCENIC OR SCARY
Skippers Canyon Road wasn’t built for cars. The gravel pass was considered a feat of engineering when it was constructed between 1893 and 1890. A gold rush in this area of New Zealand’s South Island required a better trail, and this is what the miners came up with.
Today, the road remains unpaved and incredibly narrow. You’ll need to back up until you can find room to pass if you encounter oncoming traffic on the 1-lane track. Did we mention the road is cut into the side of a sheer cliff? It’s little wonder rental car companies won’t honor your insurance if you choose to drive this treacherous stretch of road.
2 PERU SURE LOVES HAIRPINS AND HAIR-RAISING ROADS
We’ll have to travel back to Peru to find this next dangerous track. Road 663 is just a few numbers off from a truly daunting one, but once you’ve seen the road, you’ll agree it doesn’t need any help giving anyone goosebumps.
Located near the town of Llata, Road 663 is narrow, wide enough for just one vehicle. It also has no guardrails, and features sheer drops of around 300 meters. Did we mention the hairpin turns? Road 663 has 20 hairpins along its 12-kilometer stretch, giving Curvas de Huanchaca a run for its money. There’s even an unlit tunnel.
1 THIS ALPINE ROAD TAKES THE CAKE
The Alps are one of Europe’s defining features, and they also define the driving experience in many parts of Europe. Col du Chaussy, located in southeastern France, is fairly typical of the kind of driving experiences you’ll find here.
The road kicks things off with the “lacets de Montvernier,” a series of 17 hairpins in 3 kilometers. That’s one every 200 meters or so. The road also climbs sharply. Once you’re past the lacets, you’ll gain over 1,000 meters in altitude. Nearer to the summit, the surface of the road degrades. Even still, this is considered one of the most scenic drives in the world, so long as your nerves hold out.
References: Dangerousroads.org, digitaltrends.com, YouTube.
