Upper Loop 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 Upper Loop Road climb?

1.5 miles (2.4 km) at 9.3% on average, climbing 741 ft (226 m) from 1,358 ft to 2,100 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 11.1%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 40.04204, -123.55993, where Upper Loop Road leaves Sesame State Loop, and tops out on the road at 40.05924, -123.56857.

Is Upper Loop 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.

• Road ACat 3 · 1.9 mi at 5.5% · 551 ft · starts 1.6 mi away
• Lauffer RoadCat 2 · 3.5 mi at 8.7% · 1,585 ft · starts 3.3 mi away
• Miller Ranch RoadCat 3 · 1.3 mi at 8.5% · 581 ft · starts 5.4 mi away
• Bell Springs RoadCat 3 · 2.9 mi at 5.5% · 843 ft · starts 5.6 mi away
• Hansen Ranch RoadCat 3 · 1.7 mi at 8% · 728 ft · starts 7.1 mi away
• Peak RoadCat 3 · 2.0 mi at 5.1% · 528 ft · starts 7.3 mi away
• Trinity TrailCat 3 · 0.9 mi at 20.1% · 955 ft · starts 8.1 mi away
• Kekawaka Creek RoadCat 3 · 2.2 mi at 8.2% · 935 ft · starts 8.1 mi away