Hell Hole Road Climb near Truckee

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 Hell Hole Road near Truckee climb?

2.2 miles (3.5 km) at 6.9% on average, climbing 797 ft (243 m) from 4,678 ft to 5,476 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 8.9%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 39.06101, -120.41422, and tops out on the road at 39.0706, -120.42112.

Is Hell Hole Road 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.

• Hell Hole RoadCat 3 · 3.8 mi at 4% · 810 ft · starts 3.5 mi away
• French Meadows RoadCat 3 · 2.6 mi at 6.1% · 843 ft · starts 5.0 mi away
• Mosquito Ridge Road near TruckeeCat 3 · 3.9 mi at 4.8% · 1,001 ft · starts 6.0 mi away
• Mosquito Ridge Road near TruckeeCat 3 · 1.8 mi at 6.8% · 636 ft · starts 6.0 mi away
• Ice House Road from US Forest Service Road 3Cat 3 · 3.1 mi at 4.3% · 709 ft · starts 7.1 mi away
• Eleven Pines RoadCat 2 · 5.5 mi at 5.3% · 1,549 ft · starts 8.1 mi away
• Wentworth Springs Road near South Lake TahoeCat 3 · 2.6 mi at 5% · 689 ft · starts 8.5 mi away
• Ramsey Crossing RoadCat 3 · 1.6 mi at 9% · 755 ft · starts 8.6 mi away