Sitgreaves Pass in AZ is a fabulous road if you are not scared of heights
Sitgreaves Pass is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.096m (3,595ft) above the sea level, located in Mohave County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. Very little guard rails give you no lee-way for error.
How long is Sitgreaves Pass in Arizona?
Set high in the Black Mountains of Arizona, the road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called Oatman Road, part of the Historic U.S. 66 W. The pass is 35.40km (22 miles) long running from Oatman to Walnut Creek. The pass was named for Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves, of the Corps of Topographical Engineers. The summit is about 3 miles west of Ed's Camp.
Is the road to Sitgreaves Pass dangerous?
Located in the northwestern corner of Arizona, the road is pretty narrow, very curvy, with lots of blind hairpin turns and no shoulders. It’s a fabulous drive if you are not scared of heights or of tumbling down a mountain side. In a lot of places there’s only a few wooden fence posts and a piece of chain between you and the drop over the edge of the mountain. Make sure to look for the old cars off the road near the hairpin curves. This road is built like a bobsled run, with crazy switchbacks and steep drop-offs plunging thousands of feet down. It is slow going, with some of the winding sections slowing down to 20mph. The road is steep, hitting a 12% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. You'll be fine in normal vehicles, but larger RVs are going to have serious issues. Don’t take this road in bad weather, and to not do this road after dark.
Is the road to Sitgreaves Pass in AZ worth it?
Plan about 45 minutes to complete the drive without any stop. However, the drive will take longer due its beauty. Take your time, it's well worth the drive. There are plenty of pull offs for you to get out and take pictures so don't try to take pictures while you are driving. A lot of mining took place along the stretch of road between Oatman and Cool Springs. there are some historical buildings or rather remains of historical buildings along this route.
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