Camino de los Altos Hornos – Catamarca Mining Circuit

This forgotten mining route cuts through Catamarca’s high country at elevations exceeding 4,200 meters, connecting abandoned copper mines and ghost settlements from Argentina’s early 20th-century mining boom. The track winds through the Cordillera de San Buenaventura, passing the ruins of Alto de la Blenda mine and crossing the notorious Quebrada del Minero, where flash floods carved house-sized boulders into the streambed that demand precise line choice.

Rated difficult due to altitude, loose scree sections, and multiple technical water crossings. High-clearance 4WD with low-range transfer case essential, plus recovery gear for the inevitable stuck-in-sand moments. Best tackled April through October when streams are manageable. No fuel or water available on route – carry 3 days minimum. Dispersed camping available near abandoned mine structures. The payoff: complete solitude and some of the most dramatic high-desert scenery in northwest Argentina.