Laurel Mountain Trail 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 Laurel Mountain Trail climb?

4.6 miles (7.4 km) at 11.4% on average, climbing 2,756 ft (840 m) from 7,323 ft to 10,079 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 16.6%. That makes it a Hors catégorie climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 37.6237, -118.90669, where Laurel Mountain Trail leaves Sherwin Creek Road, and tops out on the road at 37.57602, -118.91094.

Is Laurel Mountain Trail 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.

• Main Street near Mammoth LakesCat 3 · 3.1 mi at 3.4% · 554 ft · starts 1.7 mi away
• Old Mammoth RoadCat 3 · 3.2 mi at 5.3% · 899 ft · starts 3.4 mi away
• Minaret RoadCat 2 · 6.8 mi at 3.6% · 1,280 ft · starts 3.6 mi away
• Lakes Basin PathCat 3 · 2.7 mi at 4.4% · 620 ft · starts 4.5 mi away
• Lake Mary RoadCat 3 · 3.5 mi at 5.2% · 961 ft · starts 4.5 mi away
• McGee Mountain RoadHC · dirt · 6.6 mi at 9.9% · 3,438 ft · starts 5.5 mi away
• Mammoth Scenic LoopCat 3 · 4.1 mi at 3.8% · 817 ft · starts 6.4 mi away
• McGee Creek RoadCat 3 · 3.3 mi at 5.4% · 958 ft · starts 7.2 mi away