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

How long and steep is the Gallatin Road climb?

3.1 miles (4.9 km) at 4.2% on average, climbing 676 ft (206 m) from 5,148 ft to 5,823 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 9.9%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 40.55557, -120.7634, and tops out at Forest Route 31N02 at 40.58091, -120.72839.

Is Gallatin Road paved?

Mostly: OpenStreetMap tags 50% of the climb as paved, and the rest as dirt or gravel.

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.

• Eagle Lake Road near SusanvilleCat 2 · 7.6 mi at 3% · 1,204 ft · starts 3.4 mi away
• Eagle Lake Road near SusanvilleCat 2 · 7.6 mi at 3.8% · 1,542 ft · starts 9.7 mi away
• Hillcrest RoadCat 3 · 3.9 mi at 3.2% · 669 ft · starts 11 mi away
• Gold Run RoadCat 1 · 7.6 mi at 5.6% · 2,280 ft · starts 14 mi away
• Old Scotts Log RoadCat 2 · 2.9 mi at 7% · 1,093 ft · starts 15 mi away