Old Priest Grade, Priest, CA

Old Priest Grade is considered one of the steepest roads in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, originally a wagon road up the canyon wall to Priest at the top, passengers in stagecoaches were made to get out and walk to save the horses laboring to pull the stagecoaches up the steep grade.

We like to think of Old Priest Grade as one of the steepest roads in California. The elevation climbs from 910 ft to 2450 ft in less than 2 miles, with grade steepness up to 18 percent, and the steepest stretch might be closer to 20 percent.

If you're on a bike and headed uphill, super fun road & it bypasses Hwy 120 (where all the slow campers & trucks are).

Going down, the smell of vehicle brakes hangs in the air.

Old Priest Grade, Priest, CA