Camino de los Molinos Catamarca

This forgotten mining road climbs from Fiambalá toward the Chilean border through landscape that looks more like Mars than Earth. The Camino de los Molinos follows an old gold prospectors’ route past rusted mining equipment and stone foundations of 19th-century mills, gaining 6,000 feet in elevation over volcanic scree and salt flats. Past Km 40, the track becomes increasingly technical with loose rock sections, stream crossings fed by thermal springs, and switchbacks carved into cliff faces where one mistake means a long tumble into the abyss.

Expert-level difficulty demands modified 4WD with rock sliders, winch, and spare everything. Altitude sickness hits hard above 11,000 feet. No fuel, water, or cell service for 80+ miles — carry enough for the round trip plus emergencies. May through September only; winter brings snow that can strand vehicles for months. The reward is vicuña herds, Inca archaeological sites, and views across three countries from the Continental Divide. This is serious high-altitude desert exploration where self-sufficiency isn’t optional.