Things to Know Before Driving the Wild Road to Monte Jaizkibel

Monte Jaizkibel is a mountain peak at an elevation of 532m (1,745ft) above sea level, located in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in Spain.

Monte Jaizkibel

Where is Monte Jaizkibel?

The peak is located on the coast of the province of Gipuzkoa, in the northern part of Spain, near the French border. This mountain is considered the second-highest coastal mountain in Spain.

Is the road to Monte Jaizkibel paved?

Due to its location, the mountain has been important for military reasons for a few centuries, so a road has existed since 1890. The eastern slope was built by Republican prisoners between 1939 and 1945, and the broken asphalt road was newly paved in 2015 to access communication towers at the summit.

How long is the road to Monte Jaizkibel?

The road is 19.1 km (11.86 miles) long, running east-west from Hondarribia to Lezo. The drive has two parts: the first one is a good drive into the forest, and the second one is through meadows and a little bit narrow. It’s a very scenic drive overlooking the cliffs and with views of almost the entire Basque coast, from the Biarritz lighthouse to Matxitxako cape.

How steep is Monte Jaizkibel?

The road to the summit is pretty narrow and steep in parts, hitting a 14% maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Due to its topography, the pass is the key climb in the famous Clasica San Sebastian professional cycling race since its beginning in 1981. The road is very busy during weekends, days off, and holidays in the summer.
Road suggested by: jorge manuel gómez sánchez