Mount Madonna 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: 2 bike crashes were reported on or beside Mount Madonna Road along the climb from 2021–2025, 1 of them serious or fatal.

How long and steep is the Mount Madonna Road climb?

3.9 miles (6.3 km) at 7.5% on average, climbing 1,562 ft (476 m) from 151 ft to 1,713 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 11.5%. That makes it a Category 2 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 36.97777, -121.74113, and tops out at Blue Springs Trail at 37.01402, -121.71786.

Is Mount Madonna 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.

• Hecker Pass RoadCat 2 · 6.3 mi at 3.8% · 1,266 ft · starts 2.9 mi away
• Caudill RoadCat 3 · 0.8 mi at 12.9% · 561 ft · starts 3.8 mi away
• Eureka Canyon RoadCat 2 · 8.2 mi at 3.7% · 1,601 ft · starts 3.8 mi away
• Pleasant Valley Road from Freedom BoulevardCat 3 · 2.7 mi at 3.9% · 551 ft · starts 4.6 mi away
• Rider RoadCat 3 · 2.5 mi at 5.4% · 722 ft · starts 4.9 mi away
• Vanoni Road from Silliman RoadCat 3 · 3.4 mi at 4.6% · 814 ft · starts 4.9 mi away
• Old Evans RoadCat 3 · 1.0 mi at 13.2% · 692 ft · starts 5.4 mi away
• Tindall Ranch RoadCat 3 · 1.6 mi at 9.2% · 771 ft · starts 5.9 mi away