Echo Canyon Road Climb

We don't rate roads as safe or unsafe: crash counts can't say how risky a ride is, and roads people like to ride draw more riders, so they see more crashes. Most of this climb is a dirt road, and falls away from public roads rarely reach police reports. What the records show: no bike crashes were reported along the climb from 2021–2025.

How long and steep is the Echo Canyon Road climb?

9.0 miles (14.5 km) at 6.7% on average, climbing 3,182 ft (970 m) from 413 ft to 3,596 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 9.5%. That makes it a Hors catégorie climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 36.43761, -116.82408, where Echo Canyon Road leaves Death Valley Scenic Byway, and tops out at Leeland Echo Canyon Road at 36.49607, -116.71036.

Is Echo Canyon Road paved?

Mostly not: OpenStreetMap tags 100% of the climb as dirt or gravel. Dirt roads can be closed in fire season or after rain, so check with the land manager.

How is the category worked out?

From the climb's shape only: length in metres × average grade (%) of 16,000 or more for Cat 3, 32,000 for Cat 2, 64,000 for Cat 1 and 80,000 for HC. It describes how hard the climb is, not traffic or crashes.

Where does this data come from?

The climb is found from OpenStreetMap roads and USGS 3DEP elevation (every climb, not a list of famous ones). Access is from OpenStreetMap tags; gates and closures change, so obey posted signs. Crash counts are police reports in the California Crash Reporting System (CCRS) on data.ca.gov, counted where their map location is within 100 ft of the climb. The forecast is from the National Weather Service.

• Artists Drive Scenic LoopCat 3 · 2.5 mi at 7.3% · 955 ft · starts 7.2 mi away
• Dantes View RoadHC · 13 mi at 5% · 3,445 ft · starts 8.3 mi away
• Trail Canyon RoadHC · dirt · 8.9 mi at 7.7% · 3,619 ft · starts 10 mi away
• Beatty Cutoff RoadCat 1 · 8.9 mi at 4.8% · 2,277 ft · starts 13 mi away
• Leeland Echo Canyon RoadCat 1 · dirt · 10 mi at 4.4% · 2,402 ft · starts 15 mi away