Does anybody know if this road is asphalt (paved) and is it passable with SUV and/or ATV?
Is it scenic, worth the effort?
Is it scenic, worth the effort?
- Thread starter Conchman
- Start date
Road (Route 41) from Constanza to San Jose de Ocoa
I haven't been on it for over a year, but my god, its more then just scenic, its secluded and stunning!! Bring a camera. Bring two cameras!
Frank
When in Contanza head for the Bario Japonese, *then its really just one road unless you turn off. ask people how to get to the Piramade which is half way. *If you are sight seeing you might want to see the place were the anti Balaguer camano was ultimated. *The moss on trees is spokey and spectacular. *Watch out for clowns coming out the mist. Seriously Valle Nuevo is a very interesting park that was once covered by glaciers. Look out for the Dominican Fuschia (inverted red flower)as that was the first one discovered and given that name setting the way for hundreds of hybreds you see all over the world now. *I stayed the night there near the Piramid *and it got to below zero centagrade. The puddles even froze. *Valle Nuevo is also known as the Madre de los Rios as most of DR's rivers are born there. *Enjoy I did.
We owned land on that road for many years. *The view is spectacular in many places, but the road itself is not paved in some places*
One time everyone in the car except the driver had to get out and walk over a particular stretch that was so rutted from rain that the car was bottoming out. Few guardrails, not for the faint of heart. *
One time everyone in the car except the driver had to get out and walk over a particular stretch that was so rutted from rain that the car was bottoming out. Few guardrails, not for the faint of heart. *
Make sure to check out the Agua Blanca waterfall just off the road - the coldest water found anywhere on the island, couldn't be more than just a few degrees above the freezing point. Of course whatever you thought of the main road (Constanza - San Jose), those few miles of the turnoff to the waterfall are even better (or worse) - depending on your point of view. May*want to rewatch the old Sorcerer movie to get an accurate idea of those roads.
While I am at it, anybody know the Constanza - Guayabal trail? Is it passable with a side x side, I heard there may be a narrow bridge? Has anybody taken this trail yet? Is there fuel available in Guayabal or at the end of that trail?
Over a year ago whilst staying in the area, I travelled from Padre Las Casas to La Cumbre on the way to El Guayabal, but decided to go no further having crossed the bridge in La Cumbre. Appreciate it is coming the other direction but at that time the road from Padre Las Casas was being worked on along with a multispan bridge over the river on that road.
Because the drive to La Cumbre was straightforward I actually thought twice about making my return journey, which was to Las Terrenas at that time, via El Guayabal and Constanza and onward to SFM, Nagua and LT. But caution took hold after a puncture and I eventually took the long haul through Azua, Bani, Santo Domingo and the Samana Highway.
Lovely part of the country is the southern side of the Cordillera Central.
We may have to wait until December of January when the rains die down, unless we get 5 days of sunshine right before a weekend! Since we are going by sport ATV and side x side, we will be moving much faster so it would be best to find others with 4 x 4 trucks or SUV's. There was a company called Piratas that was doing tours there, not sure if they still exist.
Hey there - I want to drive from Constanza to Barahona in January and I was wondering what the roads are like to the west of Constanza. In other words, I can see that there are main/paved roads if I drive north toward Jarabacoa and then south to the cut off near San Cristobal where I can take the highway west but what are the roads like if I travel from Constanza south through Las Lagunas, La Siembra and Padre Las Casas to where it connects to the 44 west of Azua? Googlemaps wants to send me that way and says it will take potentially an hour less time but I don't plan on doing any 4-wheeling so I'm not sure if it is prudent or not. Any help would be really appreciated as I keep coming up empty in my research.
On that basis, you head down from Constanza to Autopista Duarte north of Bonao, then towards Santo Domingo.
Option 1: at Piedra Blanca take the new road to Rancho Arriba and onto San Jose to Ocoa, but after Rancho Arriba there is about 10km of road under construction along the side of the Nizao river which is graded........but a month or so back a culvert over the river got washed out and reinstated but recent rains would have done some more damage. Most likely OK. After San Jose de Ocoa you drive south and pick up the main road to Azua and onwards to Barahona.
Option2: continue to Santo Domingo and after the second traffic lights and the peage (you don't pay but bypass), you take the new ring road west (100rd toll). You then pick up Autopista Sanchez west sign posted to San Cristobel and Bani (there is a second later exit to San Cristobel bit not the highway so watch out for first exit and Bani) , pass through Bani and on to Azua and Barahona.
Probably Option 1 saves a half to one hour and has some lovely scenery all around bit with short section without tarmac. Plus the chance to see Ostriches before you enter San Jose in a farm there.....yep in DR too.
I have driven about 25km north from Padre Las Casas and the road got progressively rougher with a 4 wheel drive and I got a puncture.......on a public holiday too.