Halsema Highway

This article is about the highway in the Philippines. For other uses, see Halsema (disambiguation).

Halsema Highway
Benguet–Mountain Province Road Baguio–Bontoc Road Mountain Trail
Highest point marker in Atok, Benguet
Route information
Length:	150.0 km (93.2 mi)
Major junctions
North end:	Nueva Vizcaya–Ifugao–Mountain Province Road in Bontoc
South end:	Bokawkan Road in Baguio
Location
Major cities:	Baguio
Towns:	Atok Bakun Bauko Bokod Bontoc Buguias Kabayan La Trinidad Mankayan Sabangan Sagada Tublay
Highway system
Highways in the Philippines

Halsema Highway (also known as the Benguet-Mountain Province Road, Baguio-Bontoc Road or Mountain Trail) is a national highway in the Philippines. Situated in northern Luzon, it stretches from the city limit of Baguio to the municipality of Bontoc, Mountain Province. At its highest point at 7,400 ft above sea level in the municipality of Atok, it is the highest altitude highway in the Philippines.

The 150-km highway covers 95 kilometres (59 mi) of Benguet province and traverses eight of its municipalities (La Trinidad, Tublay, Atok, Bokod, Kabayan, Buguias, Bakun, and Mankayan). It also covers four Mountain Province towns (Bauko, Sabangan, Bontoc, and Sagada). The road splits into two upon reaching the village of Dantay, in Bontoc. One road leads to downtown Bontoc, while the other leads to the town of Sagada, 29 km farther from the junction.

History

The highway was named after an American engineer, named Eusebius Julius Halsema, who served as the mayor of Baguio City from 1920-1937. Under Halsema's term, its construction commenced in 1922 with the help of locals and was completed in 1930 as a foot trail.

Hazards

Parts of the highway are dangerous, especially during the rainy season, when landslides are common and asphalted portions become slippery.

In March 2013, List25 included the highway at #9 in its 25 Most Dangerous Roads in the World.