El Dorado Street 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. What the records show: no bike crashes were reported along the climb from 2021–2025.

How long and steep is the El Dorado Street climb?

2.3 miles (3.8 km) at 6.1% on average, climbing 758 ft (231 m) from 587 ft to 1,345 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 7.1%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 38.91527, -121.04025, where El Dorado Street leaves Old Foresthill Road, and tops out at Lincoln Way at 38.90407, -121.0659.

Is El Dorado Street paved?

Yes, by its OpenStreetMap tags.

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.

• Old Auburn Foresthill RoadCat 3 · 3.1 mi at 5.3% · 879 ft · starts 0.2 mi away
• Lake Clementine RoadCat 3 · 2.3 mi at 7.2% · 866 ft · starts 1.7 mi away
• Bald Hill RoadCat 3 · 1.6 mi at 6.9% · 581 ft · starts 4.8 mi away
• Upper Lake Celentine RoadCat 3 · 1.4 mi at 12.3% · 938 ft · starts 5.1 mi away
• Shirland Tract RoadCat 3 · 2.5 mi at 4.2% · 545 ft · starts 5.3 mi away
• Sliger Mine RoadCat 3 · 2.4 mi at 5.9% · 738 ft · starts 6.6 mi away
• Baxter Grade RoadCat 3 · 2.0 mi at 5% · 531 ft · starts 6.9 mi away
• Georgetown Road from Ricci RoadCat 2 · 5.4 mi at 3.8% · 1,096 ft · starts 7.0 mi away