D915 (Bayburt-Of) is the most challenging road in the world

D915 is one of the most challenging roads in the world. Located on the boundary of the Black Sea and the Northeast Anatolia regions of Turkey, the road is extreme. Only the suicidal, the insane, or the paid-to-do-this should ever drive down. One mistake and it's a free fall to your death.

How long is D915 (Bayburt-Of Road) in Turkey?

The road is 106km (65 miles) long running south-north from Bayburt (the provincial capital of Bayburt Province in the Northeast Anatolia region) to Of (a small coastal town in Trabzon Province in the Black Sea region), featuring 38 sharp hairpin turns. The Bayburt highway is a working road, used by locals driving every form of transport - from lorries to motorbikes-, so it can be heavily trafficked. The road is not for the sissies and shouldn’t be attempted by novice drivers. 

Is D915 (Bayburt-Of Road) in Turkey dangerous?

The road is mostly unpaved. It starts and finishes with asphalt for easy driving, but the main bulk of the road is made up of loose gravel. The drive is very challenging and defiant, featuring narrow sections, countless turns and hairpin turns, dangerous drop offs and steep parts. The steep part is simply terrible. It's a curvy road descending down the cliffs, often so narrow that you can’t turn the first time… They are terrible for drivers who are prone to vertigo. As all experienced drivers would tell, there is no such a road that can guarantee absolute safety while driving. Drivers and fans of extreme cycling do not have time to brake in time, and they just fall into the abyss. A lot of tourists are looking for new emotions here, even if they know how dangerous it can be. Sometimes it is better not to risk your life and stay at home. Do not go there if the weather is bad - you really need to have special skills otherwise it might end in a very bad way. Some tourists prefer to go there with a bicycle as it is considered a safer way. There are a lot of trucks and big cars, which can make big problems for inexperienced drivers. Also, the local weather has some surprises. There are often fogs and some parts of the road are just washed out. The stones may fall from the rock to the road, which makes it even more narrow in some parts. Fog and rain are very common and this track can get very muddy and slippery after rain making it challenging to get through. Bad weather can be a real deterrent to road users. The most dangerous part of the road, in Derebaşı Tesisleri, is often covered by snow and fog.

Is D915 (Bayburt-Of Road) open?

The road climbs up many mountain passes, including Soganli Geçidi at an elevation of 2.330m (7,644ft) above the sea level. With such a high summit altitude the road is usually impassable from late October through late June or early July (depending on snow).

When was the D915 (Bayburt-Of Road) in Turkey built?

Tucked away in the northeastern part of the country, this extreme gravel road was built in 1916 by Russian soldiers following the Trebizond Campaign (a series of successful Russian naval and land operations that resulted in the capture of Trabzon).   

Is the D915 (Bayburt-Of Road) in Turkey worth it?

The most challenging (iconic) part of the road is located near the Çaykara town. It’s called Derebaşı Turns. It has 13 incredible hairpin turns climbing up from 1.712m (5,617ft) above the sea level to 2.035m (6,677 ft) above the sea level in just 5.1km (3.2 mi). The average percentage is 6.3%, hitting a 17% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. The drive offers stunning views of the mountains.