TOP 100 U.S. CYCLING CLIMBS

Epic climbs are a major part of our bucket list.  As we conquer each climb, we will create content from the adventure.

Elevation (ft)
U.S. Rank World
Rank		 Climb Name State Fiets Index
Score		 Distance
(mi)		 Average
Grade		 Start Peak Gained Descent
1 1 Mauna Kea
HI, USA
 29.2 42.6 6.1% 3 13,842 13,863 98
2 15 Haleakala
HI, USA
 18.2 35.6 5.3% 12 9,988 10,068 92
3 18 Mt Washington Auto Rd
NH, USA
 18.2 7.4 12.1% 1,588 6,300 4,712 0
4 22 Pikes Peak
CO, USA
 17.8 24.2 6.1% 6,343 14,128 8,037 252
5 53 Kaloko Dr
HI, USA
 14.6 11.6 8.7% 90 5,385 5,295 0
6 59 Onion Valley Rd
CA, USA
 14.3 12.9 7.8% 3,946 9,219 5,275 1
7 71 Horseshoe Meadows Rd
CA, USA
 13.7 19.2 6.2% 3,817 10,043 6,582 356
8 73 Mauna Loa
HI, USA
 13.6 62.2 3.4% 2 10,993 11,848 857
9 74 Waipoli Rd
HI, USA
 13.5 12.7 7.8% 1,072 6,323 5,290 58
10 89 White Mountain
CA, USA
 12.9 20.3 5.8% 3,946 10,119 6,392 226
11 104 Powder Mountain
UT, USA
 12.5 7.2 9.7% 5,189 8,867 3,684 7
12 108 Mount Evans
CO, USA
 12.4 27.4 4.5% 7,560 14,129 6,744 193
13 115 Sherman Pass West
CA, USA
 12.2 15.5 6.5% 3,814 9,116 5,305 3
14 124 Whitney Portal
CA, USA
 12.1 11.4 7.6% 3,802 8,358 4,556 10
15 – Guardsman Pass
UT, USA
 12 8.8 8.5% 5,795 9,698 3,927 24
16 – Hwy 39-Dawson Saddle
CA, USA
 11.7 23.4 5.2% 1,466 7,913 6,800 353
17 – Nate Harrison Grade
CA, USA
 11.6 10.3 8.2% 904 5,324 4,440 24
18 – Mineral King Road
CA, USA
 11.6 24.4 5.1% 1,186 7,752 7,026 460
19 – Alternate Route 14
WY, USA
 11.4 13.2 6.7% 4,435 9,117 4,855 197
20 – Mt Graham
AZ, USA
 11.3 20.1 5.5% 3,249 9,018 6,092 323
21 – Whitaker Forest
CA, USA
 11.3 23 5.2% 1,300 7,605 7,018 713
22 – Lee Canyon
NV, USA
 11.2 17.3 5.9% 3,336 8,700 5,388 24
23 – Grand Mesa North
CO, USA
 11.1 21.4 5.1% 5,167 10,882 5,848 133
24 – South Lake
CA, USA
 11 18.9 5.4% 4,404 9,831 5,538 151
25 – Hwy 198 (General’s Highway)
CA, USA
 11 20.5 5.5% 1,311 7,201 6,092 202
26 – Mt. Equinox
VT, USA
 10.9 5.3 11.3% 653 3,787 3,151 17
27 – Shirley Meadows East
CA, USA
 10.9 9.9 7.9% 2,697 6,789 4,125 32
28 – Rock Creek Road
CA, USA
 10.7 20.7 5.1% 4,669 10,233 5,866 301
29 – Little Cottonwood Canyon
UT, USA
 10.7 10.5 7.2% 5,383 9,393 4,010 0
30 – Wheeler Peak
NV, USA
 10.6 15.9 5.8% 5,320 10,167 4,882 50
31 – Nine Mile Canyon
CA, USA
 10.5 15.7 6% 2,581 7,594 5,045 45
32 – Bear Creek Road
CA, USA
 10.5 16 6.1% 1,394 6,529 5,291 180
33 – Lake Sabrina
CA, USA
 10.3 15.7 5.8% 4,405 9,219 4,886 74
34 – Mt. Baldy
CA, USA
 10.3 13.1 6.7% 1,641 6,261 4,748 129
35 – Lee Canyon + Hwy 158
NV, USA
 10.2 16.3 5.7% 3,328 8,292 4,986 89
36 – Big Cottonwood Canyon
UT, USA
 10.1 16.9 5.5% 4,909 9,773 5,052 188
37 – Mt. Lemmon
AZ, USA
 10 28.8 4.2% 2,760 9,170 7,159 751
38 – Hwy 143
UT, USA
 10 14 5.9% 6,080 10,445 4,375 10
39 – Palomar Mountain South Grade
CA, USA
 10 12.4 6.9% 1,038 5,515 4,484 7
40 – Hwy 190
CA, USA
 9.9 22.3 5% 1,204 7,026 6,092 270
41 – White Mountain East
CA, USA
 9.7 18.1 5.1% 5,134 10,040 5,115 264
42 – Whiteface Mountain
NY, USA
 9.6 7.9 8.4% 1,042 4,606 3,566 45
43 – Hwy 330
CA, USA
 9.6 21.6 4.9% 1,460 7,064 5,884 283
44 – Glacier Lodge Road
CA, USA
 9.3 9.9 7.1% 4,031 7,728 3,701 19
45 – Hwy 21-245-180-198
CA, USA
 9.3 28.4 4.2% 1,308 7,575 6,771 505
46 – Sonora Pass West
CA, USA
 9.2 9.1 7.1% 6,306 9,696 3,458 69
47 – Hwy 180 & 198
CA, USA
 9.2 25.5 4.4% 1,604 7,525 6,195 274
48 – Mt. Harrison
ID, USA
 9.2 14.6 5.6% 4,927 9,236 4,323 14
49 – Kyle Canyon + Hwy 158
NV, USA
 9.1 21.6 4.7% 2,821 8,161 5,385 50
50 – Hwy 18 – Old Waterman Canyon
CA, USA
 9.1 12.7 6.4% 1,416 5,684 4,372 105
51 – Empire Pass, Midway
UT, USA
 8.9 8 7.5% 5,797 8,947 3,232 82
52 – Towne Pass East
CA, USA
 8.9 16.9 5.6% -6 4,949 4,956 1
53 – Mount Mansfield (Race to Top of Vermont)
VT, USA
 8.9 4.2 11.5% 1,288 3,798 2,511 1
54 – Trail Ridge
CO, USA
 8.8 43.9 2.9% 5,328 12,151 7,767 962
55 – Grand Mesa South
CO, USA
 8.8 19.1 4.6% 6,215 10,846 4,722 90
56 – Granite Pass
WY, USA
 8.8 17.7 5% 4,402 9,043 4,756 115
57 – Mt. Shasta
CA, USA
 8.6 14.2 5.7% 3,637 7,856 4,224 4
58 – Hurricane Ridge
WA, USA
 8.6 17.9 5.3% 214 5,201 5,272 287
59 – East Portal
CO, USA
 8.5 3.3 11.4% 6,557 8,558 2,001 0
60 – Gibraltar Road
CA, USA
 8.5 9.8 7.3% 204 3,965 3,863 102
61 – Etna Summit West
CA, USA
 8.5 6.9 8.3% 2,981 6,016 3,055 20
62 – Kyle Canyon
NV, USA
 8.5 21.2 4.5% 2,821 7,924 5,121 51
63 – GO Road Summit
CA, USA
 8.5 6.6 8.9% 707 3,797 3,089 16
64 – Wildrose
CA, USA
 8.5 14.6 5.7% 1,354 5,768 4,415 2
65 – Hwy 39 – Crystal Lake
CA, USA
 8.5 14.1 5.8% 1,466 5,807 4,481 140
66 – Independence Pass West
CO, USA
 8.4 15.8 4.8% 8,120 12,087 3,984 19
67 – Sandia Crest
NM, USA
 8.4 13.5 5.3% 6,883 10,667 3,912 128
68 – Stainback Road
HI, USA
 8.4 18.3 5.2% 257 5,227 4,970 0
69 – Refugio Road
CA, USA
 8.4 10 7.1% 408 4,159 3,792 41
70 – Death Valley Road (East)
CA, USA
 8.4 15.1 5.4% 3,423 7,715 4,375 83
71 – Portuguese Pass West
CA, USA
 8.4 13.6 5.7% 3,265 7,357 4,264 173
72 – Left Hand Canyon
CO, USA
 8.3 22.5 4.1% 5,613 10,495 4,960 77
73 – Cold Springs Summit (Beasore Road)
CA, USA
 8.3 11.6 6.2% 3,556 7,317 3,814 53
74 – Mt. Ascutney
VT, USA
 8.2 3.5 12.2% 517 2,752 2,236 0
75 – Mt. Rose East
NV, USA
 8.2 16.7 4.9% 4,584 8,921 4,351 13
76 – Hwy 31 West
UT, USA
 8.2 13.4 5.3% 5,989 9,778 3,894 114
77 – Onyx Summit
CA, USA
 8.1 30.4 3.7% 2,680 8,545 6,734 870
78 – Tollhouse Road
CA, USA
 8.1 10.2 6.7% 1,862 5,495 3,673 57
79 – Hwy 153
UT, USA
 8.1 18 4.5% 6,050 10,363 4,375 62
80 – Wolf Creek Pass, South
CO, USA
 8.1 8.7 6.4% 7,906 10,860 2,953 1
81 – Pine Creek
CA, USA
 8.1 8.8 6.9% 4,639 7,834 3,194 0
82 – Hicks Road to Mt. Umunhum (north)
CA, USA
 8.1 5.1 10% 654 3,327 2,673 0
83 – Daylight Pass
CA, USA
 8.1 12.8 6.1% 182 4,330 4,148 1
84 – Slumgulion Pass
CO, USA
 8.1 7.6 6.8% 8,845 11,540 2,700 5
85 – Hwy 38 – Valley of the Falls
CA, USA
 8 14.9 5.5% 1,766 6,066 4,347 50
86 – Monitor Pass East
CA, USA
 8 9.5 6.5% 5,101 8,358 3,261 4
87 – Hwy 14 East
WY, USA
 8 16.2 5% 4,021 8,280 4,409 149
88 – Mission Ridge
WA, USA
 8 11 6.6% 790 4,586 3,808 12
89 – Cottonwood Pass
CO, USA
 8 19.2 4.1% 7,943 12,122 4,258 78
90 – Cloudcroft – Hwy 82
NM, USA
 7.9 14.2 5.2% 4,721 8,645 4,008 95
91 – Burke Mountain
VT, USA
 7.9 3.3 12.3% 1,122 3,240 2,117 0
92 – Hwy 18 North
CA, USA
 7.9 10.8 6.3% 3,312 6,864 3,554 3
93 – Bear Camp West
OR, USA
 7.9 16.5 5.3% 126 4,725 4,624 25
94 – Sisar Canyon Road
CA, USA
 7.9 8.8 7.2% 1,572 4,927 3,371 15
95 – Baldwin – Olinda Roads
HI, USA
 7.8 12.4 6.2% 13 4,052 4,044 5
96 – Balch Park Road
CA, USA
 7.8 18 4.9% 1,805 6,435 4,897 285
97 – Dante’s View
CA, USA
 7.8 24 4.3% 8 5,454 5,453 7
98 – Mt. Hood
OR, USA
 7.8 15.1 5.4% 1,620 5,908 4,301 13
99 – Cedar Canyon
UT, USA
 7.8 16.7 4.6% 5,876 9,941 4,097 45
100 – Beartooth Pass North
MT, USA
 7.7 30 3.3% 5,628 10,906 5,743 465

*We have chosen to use an objective index to quantify and rank climbs – The Fiets Index (developed by the Dutch cycling magazine Fiets).

The actual formula is: [H^2/D*10] + (T-1000:1000; but only if greater than 0)

  • H = ending elevation minus starting elevation in meters.
  • D = total distance traveled in meters.
  • T = Height in meters.

Note: Only add T-1000 if that number is greater than zero. ​

This data has been provided by PJAMM Cycling.