Guinness World Records currently recognizes Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, as the steepest road in the world. The community celebrates the climb with an annual event, the Baldwin Street Gutbuster, where fitness enthusiasts race to the top and back.
While many cities turn a steep street into a tourist attraction, the world’s most extreme inclines offer more than scenic views—they challenge the limits of human endurance and engineering.
Below is a curated list of the top ten steep streets worldwide, along with their gradients and notable facts.
Constructed in the 1860s, Baldwin Street has become a celebrated landmark. Each year the community hosts the Baldwin Street Gutbuster, a footrace that encourages locals and visitors to test their mettle by climbing the steep incline.
From the summit of Ffordd Pen Llech you can view the rolling Welsh countryside, the Irish Sea, and the rugged peaks of Snowdonia National Park. The street also provides a panoramic backdrop of Harlech Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Regarded as the steepest street in the United States, Canton Avenue hosts the annual Dirty Dozen bike race, challenging riders to conquer its cobblestone climb.
Vale Street is the steepest residential street in the UK. Its annual Easter egg‑rolling competition celebrates the incline, rewarding the participant who rolls their egg the farthest.
Located in Highland Park, Eldred Street features a 1922-built steep grade that has earned a sign daring tourists to climb its 33% slope. Los Angeles’ strict 15% limit on street grades makes this a rare exception.
Baxter Street in Echo Park is known for its sharp angles and dramatic drops. In 2022, a viral incident involving a Tesla launching into the air prompted community backlash over the dangerous conditions.
Nestled in Bernal Heights, Bradford Street rewards drivers and cyclists with sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline.
Filbert Street in Russian Hill shares Bradford’s 31.5% gradient and has been featured in films such as What’s Up, Doc? (1972) and the TV series Monk.
Waipiʻo Valley Road averages a 25% gradient, with sections reaching 45%. The road offers dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and tropical vegetation, earning it the nickname “Valley of the Kings” for its royal heritage.
Signal Hill Road climbs to one of Cape Town’s most scenic viewpoints, providing panoramic views of Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. The area is also famous for the “Noon Gun,” a daily cannon fired at noon since the 1880s.
Guinness World Records measures steepness by determining the maximum gradient over a 32.8‑foot (10‑meter) horizontal span, focusing on the steepest continuous segment rather than an average. In 2020, the organization updated its criteria to base the gradient on the road’s central axis. This adjustment restored Baldwin Street’s title as the world’s steepest street after Ffordd Pen Llech’s revised measurement lowered its grade to 28.6%.
We employed AI to draft this article, followed by thorough fact‑checking and editorial review to ensure accuracy and reliability.
