RN40 · Argentina
Ruta 40: Cuesta de Miranda
Ruta 40 runs the whole length of Argentina along the Andes, more than 5,000 km. This page is one of its twistiest stretches: the Cuesta de Miranda in La Rioja, between Chilecito and Villa Unión.
Counts are from Turini’s pace-note engine on this route. Heights come from terrain data and can differ from signposted figures by a few tens of metres.
Where is the Cuesta de Miranda?
The Cuesta de Miranda is in Argentina, on the RN40. Also known as Ruta 40, Ruta Nacional 40 or Cuesta de Miranda. The route on this page: Ruta 40 from Sañogasta up over the Cuesta de Miranda and down the Río Miranda gorge, La Rioja, 53.3 km.
Why the Cuesta de Miranda is famous
Here Ruta 40 climbs over the Sierra de Famatina and winds down through the red rock gorge of the Río Miranda, one curve after another between cliffs. It is a favourite of motorcyclists riding the Ruta 40 end to end.
Cuesta de Miranda hairpins
Over 53.3 km Turini calls 5 hairpins and 159 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 4 crests and 3 dips. That is 178 calls in all, one every 299 metres on average. Grade 1 is the tightest, 6 is nearly straight (how to read pace notes). On Turini’s ranking of the twistiest famous roads it comes 46th of 61.
Cuesta de Miranda elevation profile
From 1,281 m at the start to 1,383 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 2,070 m. Red marks are the hairpins.
Cuesta de Miranda pace notes, first few km
The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.
BridgeLeft 5 longBridgeDipRight 5 longLeft 6Right 6Left 6Left 6Right 5 longBridgeDipLeft 6Right 6CrestLeft 6DipBridgeRight 3 longLeft 6Left 4 long opensRight 5Right 3Left 4 opensRight 3That takes you to 9.32 km. 153 more calls follow over the remaining 44.0 km.
Before you drive the Cuesta de Miranda
Open all year. Summer storms can bring rockfall and mud onto the road.
Towns are far apart in this part of Argentina: fill up in Chilecito or Villa Unión, and carry water. Watch for animals and loose stones on the road.
How to drive the Cuesta de Miranda with Turini
Set the route before you leave and Turini saves its notes on the phone, so it works with the screen off and no signal. On the road it reads each call about 4.5 seconds before the corner, timed to your speed, and you never touch the phone. It plays through the phone or the car speakers. If pace notes are new to you, start in Simple mode (Easy, Medium, Hard) and switch to the 1–6 scale once it feels natural.
Always drive within the law, the conditions and what you can see. Turini tells you what the map says; the road is what counts.
The Cuesta de Miranda: questions
Is the Cuesta de Miranda open all year?
Open all year. Summer storms can bring rockfall and mud onto the road.
Where is the Cuesta de Miranda?
The Cuesta de Miranda is in Argentina, on the RN40. Also known as Ruta 40, Ruta Nacional 40 or Cuesta de Miranda. The route on this page: Ruta 40 from Sañogasta up over the Cuesta de Miranda and down the Río Miranda gorge, La Rioja, 53.3 km.
How long is the Cuesta de Miranda?
The route on this page, Ruta 40 from Sañogasta up over the Cuesta de Miranda and down the Río Miranda gorge, La Rioja, is 53.3 km (33.1 miles) long, with about 830 m (2,720 ft) of climbing.
How many hairpins does the Cuesta de Miranda have?
On this route Turini calls 5 hairpins and 159 corners graded 1 to 6: 178 pace-note calls in all, about 3.1 corners a kilometre. Signposted counts can differ, since Turini only calls a hairpin where the road really doubles back.
How high does the Cuesta de Miranda go?
The highest point on this route is about 2,070 m (6,790 ft), from terrain data, so it can differ from the signposted height by a few tens of metres. It starts at 1,281 m and finishes at 1,383 m.
More roads like the Cuesta de Miranda
The twistiest famous roads, ranked · All famous roads · How to read pace notes · How to find twisty roads near you
Sources: Wikipedia: National Route 40 (Argentina).
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