Where's the Steepest Street in California???

Support OUR adventures securely with PATREON:
/ oddityodysseys
San Francisco may be known for its steep streets, but did you know the steepest street in California is actually Eldred Street in Los Angeles?
TikTok► / oddityodysseys
Instagram► / oddityodysseys
#travelvlog #losangeles #california #worldrecord
Images:
www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/ho...
www.tumblr.com/californiagoth...

[@thatdeadpage]

And legend has it that to this day, Bethany still is walking slowly down the hill and Drew is happily at home waiting for her

[@OddityOdysseys]

🤣🤣🤣

[@harriscoding]

I put a speedometer on my bicycle and rode down Baldwin Street in New Zealand, the steepest street in the world. At the bottom, I was going 100 km/h or about 63 mph. I was scared to death.

[@OddityOdysseys]

Wow, that sounds like a terrifying yet amazing experience!

[@morethanent541]

65mph thats the speed i do on the highway to and from work in my Cadillac...

[@DogfatherTim]

Bethany is a bad ass. I've had a lifelong fear of heights, but never let it stop me from doing things even if I was terrified. Bethany does the same. She does it, setting aside the fear. That deserves serious respect. Or a box of tangerine bars. Great episode. I can't imagine doing that walk to get my mail daily. Crazy.

[@OddityOdysseys]

Tangerine bars!!! See you Sunday, Tim! ❤️

[@Golfnut_2099]

I bet they pick up the mail on their way home and then drive up the hill. I also have a fear of heights, but walking up a hill has never bothered me.

[@williamlloyd3769]

There are several other steep streets in Echo Park area. Pretty intimidating to drive on.

[@edog1955]

My friend and I used to bicycle up 3rd St. in Laguna Beach, CA for the challenge. (But it’s *only* a 30% grade!)

[@harrymarnell8669]

Holy gee-whiz! I wonder how long residents moving there manage to STAY there! Great program as always!! Thanks for making my day!!

[@r.lewisblake7793]

25+ year Silverlake resident. I love bringing visitors to Los Angeles to Baxter Street. When you’re coming over the top of the hill, they are scared shitless!(me too,) but comedy gold!🤪🤪🤦🏾‍♂️

[@SantosChronicles]

No way our Prius would make it up this hill. Those truck drivers have some serious driving skills. You guys didn’t mess around and working hard for a video. Thanks for the history different steep grades. Love these videos, no one else is showing the places you go to. Our type of stops.

[@kimcozean9066]

Thanks for sharing. I could not imagine starting up in a manual transmission car. There are some streets in downtown Seattle that I have driven and an automatic transmission car rolls backwards on when starting up. Oh and Seattle does get occasional snow as a previous comment from Canada mentioned.

[@lisalisa842]

I grew up in echo park, walked around silver lake hills all the time. I stayed away from streets that had stairs for sidewalks. When I was in elementary school if you were able to go down those type of streets on your bike you were bad ass.

[@Rob_on_Sisukas]

Awesome video! I was just watching your episode on the Campo Santo cemetary in SD, and was reminded of the original Evergreen Cemetary in Chinatown, Los Angeles. Cathedral HS is built on its location, and the high school still exhibits some of the original gravestones on the outside and inside. The bodies were supposed to have been moved but apparently to this day, students and staff still find coffin nails and other detritus from the orginal cemetary. Hopefully you guys can check that out soon too! Keep up the great work you two!!

[@timothyharrison8953]

33% is a pretty steep grade. The steepest street I've ever driven on in California is Lombard Street in San Francisco. You know, the famous zig-zag brick one. I did that in a full size 1986 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham in 1994. No one tells you you have to drive up a steep hill to get to the zig-zag part though. Also, when I was in the Air Force one of the stopover/staging points for the air refueling tanker I worked/flew on was in the Azore Islands. They are a group of volcanic islands off of Portugal that it makes you feel like you are always traveling uphill.

[@ikmarchini]

Lombard is fun because it's curvy, but it's not even top 10 SF streets. Bradford above Tomkins is a hair raising 41% grade!

[@xvsj5833]

Awesome skate boarding challenge ❤❤ “OO” Thxs for hiking and sharing ✌️:) Jesse

[@jkbtulsa]

I love watching you both together. And what an interesting place.

[@MidwestTechAndGaming]

Sorry but Bethany getting further away and you're still laughing is GOLD RN!🤣

[@seantaft9281]

Another great video ❤

[@ElloAsty]

You two find the most offbeat but fun and interesting subjects to do videos on. Love it.

[@emgiemaico]

love you guys!

[@fredychavez9968]

I've lived in that area for years and I had no idea it was the steepest hill in California. There's some pretty good ones in the silver lake area and actually about a years ago some guy flew a Tesla from one slop to the other. It was quite a show. You can probably still find it on KZbin.

[@peggycarlyle6409]

Such a fun video! Thanks for sharing ❤

[@OddityOdysseys]

Hope you're having a great weekend, Peggy. :)

[@M500VYN]

Amazing spot guys. Thanks for sharing your latest trip. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🇬🇧

[@OddityOdysseys]

Appreciate you checking it out!

[@toastnjam7384]

Part of the street I grew up on back in the 50's in south Silver Lake, (Maltman Ave) was really seep. A friend built a soapbox cart out of a huge discarded 1920's old timey floor radio. He nailed a piece of wood to it that would be used as a friction brake. It picked up a lot more speed than we expected and when he applied the 'brake' it came off. We were lucky there were no cars at the cross street at the bottom of the hill. We never did that again. You guys should explore the ruins of Hidden Springs. Located in Big Tujunga canyon, which was wiped out by flash flood in 1978 with around a dozen killed.

[@arrjay2410]

I grew up in a small Ontario town (12,000 at the time) where the streets had been logically laid out on a grid, with no regard for terrain. My father's house was on a hill, probably not as steep as that, but pretty steep. However, in Canada we have this thing call "Winter". To add insult to injury the town was in one of the snowbelt areas so averaged 2 meters (about 6 feet) of snow by the end of January. I can remember taking out a car on numerous occasions out of the driveway, and going to the bottom of the hill; whether I wanted to or not; in a 2 ton toboggan. There were also occasions in the winter when people tried to go up the hill. Not all of them made it. Yes we kids did toboggan down it, though the town kept putting sand down on it (watching a sand truck go down it was a moment of entertainment when you were shoveling the drive.)

[@JHRIRS2010]

Yes, agree. Anything over a 25% grade in Toronto you will end up slinging down the hill backwards. This video is tamed compare to that.

[@MikeHunt90731]

28th Street in San Pedro is actually the steepest street but it's only 50 feet

[@mdee100]

Great Job! The quality of y'all's work is fantastic! I was born an adventurer and Odd, in fact my early picture spelling books in grade school was when I first learned and loved the word odd; there was a picture of a cartoon dog wearing a silly hat. I've been a fan of Huell Howser California's Gold and Weird Homes 1998 T.V. Series now I am a fan of Bethany and Drew on Oddity Odysseys.

[@OddityOdysseys]

We love everything about this comment! Huell Howser was excellent and he's been a big inspiration for the channel. We're so glad to have you on board and hope you enjoy all the ODD content we have coming up. :)

[@Swaze742]

I haven't seen your videos in a while. Yall were one of my favorite channels.

[@OddityOdysseys]

We've been posting a new video almost every week! :) Happy Saturday!

[@Wolfspirit50]

Great video Beth & Drew! That would be a great work out for me, but I would have to be carried back down.

[@jamesg2609]

Great video

[@keith2059]

Greetings Bethany and Drew thank you for always taking us to your trips! Bethany you did a great walk going slow to get to the bottom of the hill! Bethany, Drew, everyone take care and have a wonderful day!

[@OddityOdysseys]

Thank you, Keith! Hope you and yours have a great weekend. :)

[@keith2059]

@@OddityOdysseys Greetings Bethany and Drew. I know it's only been 8 months, but had to watch your video. Just learning with fun on OddityOdysseys. Hope you two are doing well, take care, and stay health! See you on another video.

[@chuckefunn8624]

This one is debatable but love your video as always

[@ignaciobadillo903]

Baxter St., 2nd steepest at 32%.

[@zeb3144]

That street is insane! Greetings from UK.

[@bendeleted9155]

I thought for sure it would be in San Francisco (Bradford/Tompkins). BTW, there is also a rival to Lombard Street in Potrero Hill: Vermont St. It's a little steeper than Lombard, which maxes about 27%.

[@wannawatchu66]

San Francisco has absurdly steep streets because Jasper O'Farrell, City Surveyor, laid out a street grid rather than taking terrain into account. Eldred St. is what you get when you just pave your way straight up a hillside.

[@_the_dude_abides_]

Check out Ticonderoga St in San Diego!

[@RegularFootisChris]

cool skate spot!

[@johnscannell4189]

Aw...poor Bethany! Good seeing you guys!

[@kevinr5187]

Model T Fords would have had to go up in reverse due to them having gravity feed fuel carburetors. The tanks were above the engine, since there was no mechanical or electric fuel pump. So going up steep hill they either had to have a really full tank or the fuel would run to the end of the tank away from the fuel line and the motor would stop running due to no fuel going to it. 😅

[@ck4426]

So interesting!!! We ironically drove on the one in Echo Park a few weeks ago and we were glad we were in a rental car!🤪

[@heynow4512]

What? When u reach a crest/top of the st, u couldn't see the road? Danger, danger Will Smith. Oh sh!t. 😮 And it's a narrow st to boot. 😅

[@jdofmemi]

I know of one steeper in the hills near Temecula. Check out Camino Gatillo. It has places that reach 36%😱. Tough driving it in a truck.

[@rsowder]

Bradford street in San Francisco has a 41% grade. And Romolo place in SF has a 37.5% grade.

[@scotts5308]

Where I grew up out there in the La Puente / Whittier area has some old steep streets. Used to do a paper route on a bike that included Lomitas ave (street I grew up on).

[@noahcount7132]

Impressively steep! Impressive video, Bethany and Drew! 👍👍 Do you know how Lombard Street in San Fran stacks up in comparison to Eldred Street?

[@OddityOdysseys]

Thanks, Noah! To our knowledge, Lombard Street is a 27 grade and Eldred Street is a 33.3 grade, but Lombard is crooked, so both seem to have their own set of challenges!

[@shadarko]

And legend has it that Bethany is still up there to this very day.

[@sthrnbll2u65]

I yi yi lol thats a 21 nope street! Bethany kudos to you! 🎉. To much of a steep hill for this klutz! Lol that could be a whole nother show

[@cfb33774]

Drew, were you walking backward down the hill to film Bethany? Great job filming it.

[@c.k.185]

There is another paved street (in California) that puts this street to shame. The only catch… it’s on the Tule River Indian Reservation in Tulare County. It’s called Cow Mountain Road. Funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs under Federal building standards. Huge grade…

[@symphonia117]

I've been to the one in Hawaii. Idk about 45 but it's a lot steeper than the street featured in the video.

[@cee128d]

That would make a great sledding hill un here in Wisconsin in January.

[@averyclyde1095]

Fantastic!! You guys are so cute and now I wanna find that street !

[@jdc1979]

I think I’ll just cancel my gym membership and walk up and down this hill

[@OddityOdysseys]

Don't forget the steps at the top, and all for free!

[@PeterMcDonald-sl9rt]

I wish you had talked to the Sanitation and UPS people. Ask them what their day and job is like. Often these essential workers are seen as faceless, dress extras in this big technicolor, wide-screen, 3-D, stsreophonic reality movie titled "Living In L.A.!" I'm surprised there wasn't a "Mrs. Kravitz-type" asking you WHO you were, and WHAT you were filming. Once you gain the trust of these folks, my aunt would call "yentas" and still play a rousing game of mah jong with them, they have great insight and "living history"to share.

[@johanna7254]

Very cool! Never heard of this street. As someone who has often driven in SF, I'm quite impressed at those garbage truck and delivery drivers haha

[@OddityOdysseys]

They do great work and definitely made it seem easier than it is!

[@heynowls3058]

I sometimes cycle in Mt Washington and Highland Park area hills. Those are tough hill rides. No thanks on this street!

[@michaelbailey1352]

Trash truck is backing up the hill because reverse is always the lowest gear it's the first gear on the gear Cog on a transmission

[@davidlee50]

Try Marin st. in Berkeley from the Circle to the top of the hill.

[@benmulder6487]

That's crazy, I'm not sure I would be able to go down that hill looking at that view

[@jedizelfknight]

I have the urge to drive on that dirt hill at the end to see if my Subaru can go up there lol

[@jewllake]

@0:31 seconds - was that the camera angle, or is that one large cup of coffee? Lol. Is that the famous flying Tesla hill?

[@gabrielesparza4]

I hated delivering up this street while working for amazon. 😂😂

[@xvsj5833]

Thanks!

[@OddityOdysseys]

Jesse! ❤️ You're too good to us, our friend. Thank you so much. 🙏

[@xvsj5833]

@@OddityOdysseys You’re welcome my best always, love the local exploration of So. Cal !!! ✌️🤟

[@CharlesBrown-dd8vz]

What would scare me are those trash bins on a windy day.

[@stewarttaylor6784]

This was interesting. I figured going down would be harder. I would've had to call the paramedics

[@realbadger]

Years ago here in Los Angeles I worked on a short indie film but I can't remember which one to look up, as I had to hike to the location from the nearest bus stop, and the streets were unexpectedly extraordinary steep, but offhand I cannot recall the street names, or the exact location.

[@cheryldanieri7359]

Possibly San Pedro, we have a very very steep steer on 22nd Street & Gaffey. Alot of Indie Films are made in this Sleepy port Town....but never on 22nd Gaffey.

[@Tom-cy5em]

Take a look at walsh street in Grass Valley CalifornIa beleve the 500 blook a very steep street.

[@SDGreg]

The Google street view camera car made it to the top. :)

[@janetyamashige9573]

Eldred Street looks like it's fracturing and starting to disintegrate. I bet it'd be great fun to watch that street being repaved!

[@OddityOdysseys]

Yes!

[@matthewr3986]

Fargo Street is better even if it's slightly less steep. Decades ago the LAFD would test new firetrucks to make sure it could go all the way up Fargo Street.

[@barrygreenstein2816]

Are you familiar with the Fargo street hill climb where people on bicycles try to make it up?

[@matthewr3986]

@@barrygreenstein2816 yes! It's awesome!

[@cfb33774]

I 1970 I drove from Florida to California in a 1968 Mercury Montego. I went too fast on some of the hills of San Francisco and broke a motor mount on the car!

[@jeffl.3212]

I was just about to mention motor mounts…. My friend’s house had a short steep driveway. They had to replace the motor mounts on their 2 cars a couple times! I’m wondering if the people on this street have had to do the same?

[@ikmarchini]

I drove Baxter St. nearby which I think is the second steepest street. You know it's good when you finish nauseous. Then we ate at La Guelageutza. Still nauseous to this day. BTW, I'm told Romolo Pl. in SFO is 37.5% between Vallejo and Fresno.

[@zuluking79]

3rd Street, Laguna Beach, CA.

[@overland_adventure_nz]

Why would you limit a street’s steepness? This would cut down on a load of New Zealand’s roads/streets. The worlds steepest street is in Dunedin New Zealand, had a few walks and runs up at quite a nice street, but just one of many steep streets in New Zealand.

[@mattf49006]

While not the steepest in California...I grew up in San Pedro till we moved to Simi..paternal grandparents lived off 22nd street...saw a few brake failures and folks who didn't turn wheels right and set parking brakes .....my soon to be stepmother was one..her sweet Chevy ll with a 327 / four speed could be heard making like a pinball during grandma saying grace at a Thanksgiving supper

[@cheryldanieri7359]

Yep I just mentioned that street ..22nd Gaffey, very STEEEEP

[@mattf49006]

@cheryldanieri7359 ...my grandparents..dad,uncle and aunt moved there in the mid 30s...2125 South Cabrillo..two houses north of 22nd..it was extensively remodeled in later in the 2000s i believe...the staircase up the front of the house is gone..basement totally gone thru.. we used to try and ride Flexi Flyers ( think Midwest sleds on wheels) down it...always chickened out and ended up in someone's yard ..good times

[@mattf49006]

@@cheryldanieri7359 and this was in the early/mid 60s...cars with sketchy drum brakes

[@cheryldanieri7359]

@@mattf49006 yep, & it hasn't changed one iota....still STEEP AS EFF

[@jeffl.3212]

On one of the other steep streets, supposedly the Los Angeles City or County fire departments test drive their fire engines on them. Make sure they can make it to the top, it’s a requirement before they purchase them. So I vaguely remember…. Maybe someone else has better data on that?

[@xmo552]

Idk there's some streets in SF, South SF, Millbrae, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City areas that I think can take the cake. I've slid through intersections at the bottom of so many streets there. Some streets you need power *and* low gearing to make it up.

[@1WideRide]

I occasionally sleep walk but dang! Not Steep walking 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽

[@JHRIRS2010]

What about the streets in Spring Valley, CA?

[@johnha6531]

what city is this?

[@TheSev-]

Is it bad I actually waved back to Bethany as Drew left her behind? Hopefully she makes it back for the Hyrule stream Sunday.

[@OddityOdysseys]

👋

[@robinl9206]

That is pretty dang steep😮

[@rickg882]

Imagine being a kid growing up on that street, no playing ball, no bikes, etc.

[@ikmarchini]

Drop the ball, buy another.

[@timothynaugle1326]

I'll bet the trash truck with the best brakes in the whole waste disposal company only uses that route! 😮

[@ac44000cw]

Places that I didn’t even know existed here in L.A

[@gordybishop2375]

At least there is no icy conditions…lol

[@1customermaniac]

Thats not California's steepest. You gotta go to Maria Ave in San Diego... Apple Street is next door.

[@SCBB666]

I was looking for this. Dictionary Hill

[@SCBB666]

I delivered on those streets and it was a nightmare lol

[@doncardi8699]

What about San Fran?

[@user-qh3xc6fq1i]

When I worked at the local fire station #12 we would have a race to see who could run to the top first. Suck it up buttercup!

[@martymartin2894]

I was thinking san Francisco as I've seen some vlogs from there and it's all steep hills.

[@highdesertjohn]

What's at the top of those stairs?!

[@OddityOdysseys]

We dropped the ball on going all the way up the stairs to check it all out - perhaps a follow up video??

[@highdesertjohn]

@@OddityOdysseys I think its worth a follow up

[@JustBob5150]

The long flight of stairs lead to Cross Ave., another residential community

[@JustBob5150]

​@highdesertjohn Leads to Cross ave.

[@JustBob5150]

​@@OddityOdysseys Cross ave

[@andyhudgens]

Nice hill street i would of gotten tired going up

[@DogfatherTim]

me too Andy. Have a great day!

[@JonnyDoeSFschannel-nw2hu]

That is a very steep street but unfortunately not the steepest in CA. San Francisco has 5 streets with a higher grade than 33.3%: 1. Bradford above Tompkins (41% grade) 2. Romolo between Vallejo and Fresno (37.5% grade) 3. Prentiss between Chapman and Powhattan (37% grade) 4. Nevada above Chapman (35% grade) 5. Baden above Mangels (34% grade)

[@johnmurphy2113]

West lane Sonora ca

[@DukeBX]

Imagine if your loose oranges fall out your bag? 😮

[@johnha6531]

is this in San Francisco??

[@bennyboogenheimer4553]

Bethany should have ordered an Uber. lol!

[@OddityOdysseys]

The Uber probably would've just turned around after seeing how steep it is, haha!

[@bennyboogenheimer4553]

@@OddityOdysseys And miss out on 5 Stars? No way! lol!

[@VidClips858]

Surprisingly, this section has Google Street View coverage.

[@koostory1776]

Should’ve driven in a Flyby Tesla😂😂😂

[@melissagladstone5968]

California has 7 out of 10 of the steepest roads in America. This is #3... It's hard to grasp how steep it really is on video.

[@bendeleted9155]

I notice there are no children on bikes and skateboards playing in the street. I wonder why.

[@chancejensen9324]

They rolled all the way down to the 110.

[@bendeleted9155]

@@chancejensen9324 hopefully there's a hospital there. 😂

[@OddityOdysseys]

We were wondering how trick-or-treating goes around that time of year. 🤣

[@PeterMcDonald-sl9rt]

I think cause those houses cost OVER a million dollars, now!

[@LoydChampion]

While this street is steepI don't feel to is the steepest. It is longer that the street I'm thinking. Check out 28th Street between Peck Ave and Gaffey Street in San Pedro.

[@mamavalpromise]

219/400 * 100% = 54.75% grade...unless you're using some other formula?