Oakes Drive 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 Oakes Drive climb?

1.9 miles (3.0 km) at 7.2% on average, climbing 719 ft (219 m) from 322 ft to 1,040 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 10.8%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 37.66588, -122.05592, where Oakes Drive leaves Campus Drive, and tops out at Fairview Avenue at 37.66337, -122.02729.

Is Oakes Drive 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.

• Hayward BoulevardCat 3 · 2.1 mi at 5.9% · 650 ft · starts 0.6 mi away
• Five Canyons ParkwayCat 3 · 2.0 mi at 5.7% · 610 ft · starts 2.2 mi away
• Palomares Road from Palo Verde RoadCat 2 · 5.8 mi at 3.8% · 1,184 ft · starts 2.7 mi away
• Columbia DriveCat 3 · 2.0 mi at 6.2% · 653 ft · starts 3.1 mi away
• Norris Canyon RoadCat 3 · 2.1 mi at 4.8% · 528 ft · starts 4.8 mi away
• Redwood Road from Miller RoadCat 3 · 3.3 mi at 3.8% · 663 ft · starts 5.0 mi away
• Dublin BoulevardCat 3 · 2.6 mi at 4.6% · 633 ft · starts 6.8 mi away
• Skyline Boulevard from Grass Valley RoadCat 3 · 4.0 mi at 3.5% · 735 ft · starts 6.9 mi away