Washington’s 8 Steepest Roads: How Steep Are They Actually?

So, you think that you have driven on some steep roads before? Maybe it was one of these 10!

Get our free mobile app

Washington State: Steep Roads

Around 5th grade, my family moved to the country outside of Spokane, Washington. The steepest road that we could find near there was a 2-3 mile stretch of gravel road called Tickle Hills. If you are ever driving out on WA-25, take a left on Tickle Hills Road and drive up and down those steep hills. You will feel like you are driving on a rollercoaster. It's so steep that you literally can't see the bottom of the hill as you come over the top. I am not sure how steep the 'official' grade is, but be careful how fast you drive because the entire road is gravel and it is easy to lose control. Even though Tickle Hills Road is steep and can be a lot of fun, it isn't nearly as steep as these top 10 steepest roads in Washington State.

Washington State: The Land of Real Mountains

It's funny when I travel to certain places in the United States and people that live there call what I would identify as a large hill as a 'mountain'. We're lucky in Washington State to have actual mountains in our backyard and to live in an area filled with large changes in elevation. The steepest roads in the US are the Waipio Valley Road in Honokaa, HI with a 45% grade and Bradford Street in San Francisco, CA coming in second with a 41% grade. With the glaciers, rivers, and wind that have molded the Northwest into a varying and beautiful landscape, how do the steepest roads in Washington State compare to the rest of the country?

The Seattle PI says these are the steepest in Seattle.