Puerto de la Cubilla: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide

Puerto de la Cubilla is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.692m (5,551ft) above the sea level, located on the border of the province of León, Castile and León and the Principality of Asturias, a region of northwest Spain. The climb is known as the Spanish Galibier.

Puerto de la Cubilla

Tucked away in the Cantabrian Mountains, within the Parque Natural Las Ubiñas y de la Mesa, the road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called LE-8. It’s an asphalted road in bad conditions because the area suffers harsh meteorological conditions every winter. There are a few bumpy patches so be careful coming down.  Access to the pass is typically open all year round, with the occasional closure in winters due to dangerous weather conditions. Despite being a pass the road is not suitable to traverse into Leon as the road down to Leon on its southern side is simply a dirt track.

The road is pretty steep, hitting a 10% through some of the ramps. The climb has been featured in the Vuelta a España race. It is almost traffic free.  There are 2 routes to reach the summit. Starting from Campomanes (paved road), the ascent is 29 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1.305 meters. The average percentage is 4.5 %. And starting from San Emiliano (dirt track), the ascent is 9 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 493 meters. The average percentage is 5.5 %.