Carretera de las Presas (Road GC-605) is not for the faint-hearted

Known as Carretera de las Presas, the GC-605 is a wonderful and scenic dangerous mountain road located in the southwestern part of the island of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, Spain. The maximum slope is 10 %.

Carretera de las Presas (GC-605)

This treacherous mountain route is prone to landslides, rockfalls and fog. Starting from Pie de la Cuesta, the first section is an epic series of hairpin bends winding up the west side of the valley past ochre cliffs and huge boulders. The GC 605 hairpins its way up the Mogan Valley until it reaches the cumbres at Ayacata village.
The route demands 100% concentration. This road has humbled many egos as some sections are very narrow, impassable for 2 cars at the same time. Expect more than 30 hairpin turns. The surface of the road is asphalt. But its surface for the last 8 km varies widely from ok to horrible.

The road starts from the small town of Pie de la Cuesta at 325m above the sea level. It’s 23,3 km long and ends in Ayacata, a small village with some bars and restaurants, at 1.304masl. Over this distance the elevation gain is 979 meters and the average gradient is 4.20%. 10.2 km farther on the GC-605 road, you will reach Las Niñas reservoir. It is one of the three largest dams in the centre of the island. The reservoir is shrouded in legend and mystery. A 400 year-old pine tree close by is said to have witnessed a woman being burned to death. Today the tree, which has survived several forest fires, stands in silhouette opposite the campsite. It’s one of the best scenic drives on the island. The maximum slope is 10 %. Along the way, not for the faint-hearted, there are some natural viewpoints with parking lots. It can be very cold and windy.