Kennedy Meadows 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 Kennedy Meadows Road climb?

8.3 miles (13.4 km) at 3.2% on average, climbing 1,427 ft (435 m) from 6,152 ft to 7,579 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 8.3%. That makes it a Category 2 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 36.01784, -118.12235, where Kennedy Meadows Road leaves Sherman Pass Road, and tops out on the road at 35.92909, -118.05422.

Is Kennedy Meadows 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.

• Sherman Pass RoadHC · 17 mi at 3.2% · 2,851 ft · starts 0.8 mi away
• Sherman Pass RoadCat 3 · 2.6 mi at 4.3% · 584 ft · starts 9.2 mi away
• Chimney Basin Road from Kennedy Meadows RoadCat 2 · 4.5 mi at 6.3% · 1,496 ft · starts 12 mi away
• Chimney Basin Road from Long Valley RoadCat 3 · 2.1 mi at 7.2% · 794 ft · starts 12 mi away
• Chimney Basin Road from Long Valley RoadCat 1 · 6.4 mi at 6.8% · 2,297 ft · starts 12 mi away
• Sherman Pass RoadCat 3 · 2.7 mi at 5.8% · 830 ft · starts 13 mi away
• Sage Flat RoadCat 2 · 5.5 mi at 6.5% · 1,870 ft · starts 16 mi away