Piedra del Molino — Cuesta del Obispo Summit Wild Camp

Piedra del Molino is the high point of Ruta Provincial 33, where the climb out of the Escoipe side flattens onto an open puna-style saddle. Expect thin air at roughly 3,450 m, grass and cardón-studded slopes, and big views back down the switchbacks. The pullouts here are wide enough for a few rigs, but there are no facilities, no water, and no shelter from the wind. Nights get properly cold even in shoulder season, and gusts can rattle a rooftop tent hard. If you’re coming up from Salta, give yourself a day or two of altitude before you sleep here.

This section sits inside Parque Nacional Los Cardones, and the park has no formal campsites here. Camping is not an official offering, so check with park rangers or the Salta provincial authorities before you stake a claim, and stay off the vegetation. The road is ripio (gravel) with tight, exposed switchbacks, and fog and rain can roll in fast. Pack out everything, and carry your own water and fuel from Salta or Cachi. Have a dirty day.

Windswept 3,450 m saddle atop the Cuesta del Obispo