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New Zealand Hill Climbs — road gradients measured by LiDAR

Road climbs across 16 regions of New Zealand, measured on the national 1 m LiDAR terrain model (Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand) and ranked by the steepest 25 m — part of the HowSteep survey. What the survey is, and how to read a gradient ladder →

Surveyed here: the great mountain passes and the steepest streets alongside the steep lanes only the locals knew, found by the same systematic search that produced the UK catalogue.

Every climb here carries a surface chip from LINZ's Topo50 road centrelines, cross-checked with OSM. Where a check is still pending, the page says so.

699 climbs published · 98.9 km of total ascent (a rough total — it adds every small rise in the unsmoothed 1 m profile, noise included) · Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington and West Coast ·

Map of the New Zealand measured setAll the measured roads on one map →

Surface: · Caveated rows: (ranks stay the true ranks) · paved is preselected and the toggle drives every ranking table below; gravel, mixed and surface-unverified roads appear under all surfaces. Ranked by one steepest window, a row may be a brief sharp pitch or a sustained traditional climb — the Length and Overall columns tell you which.

On this page: steepest 10 m · 25 m · 50 m · 100 m · largest net rise · provisional (40) · all climbs (699) · under review (340) — the rankings are the evidence-quality A/B subset; all climbs is every page, review-status and annex entries included.

Steepest 10 m

#ClimbRegionMaxLengthOverallSurfaceEvidence
1Haywards Hill RoadWellington≈caveated38%2169 m5.1%pavedGood
2Gregory StreetSouthland34%243 m11.6%pavedHigh
3Discovered lane (-40.8972, 173.8455)Marlborough34%458 m15.4%pavedGood
4Mount Grand RoadOtago≈caveated33%2052 m10.0%pavedGood
5Haylocks RoadCanterbury≈caveated33%1751 m14.4%pavedGood
6Barnes DriveOtago33%207 m19.9%pavedHigh
7Dalmeny StreetOtago33%412 m19.2%pavedHigh
8Fields TrackManawatū-Whanganui≈caveated31%8303 m4.9%pavedGood
9Kenilworth StreetOtago≈caveated31%1008 m10.8%pavedGood
10Fore StreetWellington31%361 m16.2%pavedGood
11Malaghan StreetOtago30%227 m23.6%pavedHigh
12Waiotahi RoadWaikato≈caveated30%874 m7.6%pavedGood
13Anderson HeightsOtago29%327 m14.4%pavedHigh
14Discovered lane (-37.1296, 175.0129)Auckland≈caveated29%4428 m5.1%pavedGood
15Glenmohr RoadNorthland≈caveated29%3474 m2.5%pavedGood

Steepest 25 m

#ClimbRegionMaxLengthOverallSurfaceEvidence
1Barnes DriveOtago32.2%207 m19.9%pavedHigh
2Haywards Hill RoadWellington≈caveated31.6%2169 m5.1%pavedGood
3Gregory StreetSouthland31.4%243 m11.6%pavedHigh
4Dalmeny StreetOtago31.2%412 m19.2%pavedHigh
5Kenilworth StreetOtago≈caveated29.9%1008 m10.8%pavedGood
6Fore StreetWellington≈caveated29.5%361 m16.2%pavedGood
7Discovered lane (-40.8972, 173.8455)Marlborough≈caveated29.5%458 m15.4%pavedGood
8Anderson HeightsOtago28.8%327 m14.4%pavedHigh
9Malaghan StreetOtago28.7%227 m23.6%pavedHigh
10Te Aute Ridge RoadAuckland≈caveated28.7%638 m20.5%pavedGood
11Falcon StreetOtago28.1%394 m13.8%pavedHigh
12Mount Grand RoadOtago≈caveated27.4%2052 m10.0%pavedGood
13Kent StreetNorthland27.1%323 m12.5%pavedGood
14Chaucer Road NorthHawke's Bay26.4%251 m13.6%pavedHigh
15Clark StreetOtago26.3%202 m12.3%pavedHigh

Steepest 50 m

#ClimbRegionMaxLengthOverallSurfaceEvidence
1Barnes DriveOtago31.3%207 m19.9%pavedHigh
2Kenilworth StreetOtago≈caveated29.6%1008 m10.8%pavedGood
3Malaghan StreetOtago28.2%227 m23.6%pavedHigh
4Dalmeny StreetOtago28.1%412 m19.2%pavedHigh
5Fore StreetWellington≈caveated27.8%361 m16.2%pavedGood
6Falcon StreetOtago27.6%394 m13.8%pavedHigh
7Te Aute Ridge RoadAuckland≈caveated27.5%638 m20.5%pavedGood
8Discovered lane (-40.8972, 173.8455)Marlborough27.3%458 m15.4%pavedGood
9Anderson HeightsOtago26.7%327 m14.4%pavedHigh
10Gregory StreetSouthland26.0%243 m11.6%pavedHigh
11Haywards Hill RoadWellington≈caveated25.8%2169 m5.1%pavedGood
12Mount Grand RoadOtago≈caveated25.5%2052 m10.0%pavedGood
13Maffeys RoadCanterbury≈caveated25.4%464 m17.8%pavedGood
14Chaucer Road NorthHawke's Bay25.0%251 m13.6%pavedHigh
15Laing StreetOtago≈caveated24.5%264 m15.3%pavedGood

Steepest 100 m

#ClimbRegionMaxLengthOverallSurfaceEvidence
1Barnes DriveOtago29.0%207 m19.9%pavedHigh
2Kenilworth StreetOtago≈caveated28.1%1008 m10.8%pavedGood
3Dalmeny StreetOtago27.2%412 m19.2%pavedHigh
4Falcon StreetOtago26.8%394 m13.8%pavedHigh
5Malaghan StreetOtago26.4%227 m23.6%pavedHigh
6Fore StreetWellington≈caveated26.1%361 m16.2%pavedGood
7Te Aute Ridge RoadAuckland≈caveated25.8%638 m20.5%pavedGood
8Discovered lane (-40.8972, 173.8455)Marlborough24.9%458 m15.4%pavedGood
9Maffeys RoadCanterbury≈caveated24.5%464 m17.8%pavedGood
10Laing StreetOtago≈caveated24.1%264 m15.3%pavedGood
11Vangioni LaneCanterbury24.0%235 m19.0%pavedHigh
12Mount Grand RoadOtago≈caveated23.9%2052 m10.0%pavedGood
13Haylocks RoadCanterbury23.2%1751 m14.4%pavedGood
14Weld StreetWellington≈caveated22.9%250 m20.6%pavedGood
15Haywards Hill RoadWellington≈caveated22.8%2169 m5.1%pavedGood

≈ measured under tree canopy or near a structure at that window — the value stands but is less certain — the flag does not say whether the true value is higher or lower. Rankings include evidence quality A and B only; every row carries its surface chip, and restricted-access roads (toll/park) carry a controlled-access note — a real road lists, with its restriction stated.

Largest net rise

#ClimbRegionNet riseTotal ascentLengthOverallSurface
1Tākaka Hill HighwayTasman756 m777 m14089 m5.4%paved
2Tākaka Hill HighwayTasman712 m713 m10748 m6.6%paved
3Hickory Bay RoadCanterbury667 m671 m6409 m10.4%paved
4Ohakune Mountain RoadManawatū-Whanganui642 m642 m6978 m9.2%paved
5Burnetts Face RoadWest Coast626 m639 m9681 m6.5%paved
6Summit RoadCanterbury574 m594 m7608 m7.5%paved
7Coronet Peak RoadOtago561 m569 m6470 m8.7%paved
8Summit RoadCanterbury538 m650 m9525 m5.6%paved
9Lighthouse RoadCanterbury406 m408 m2895 m14.0%paved
10Fields TrackManawatū-Whanganui406 m521 m8303 m4.9%paved
11Crown Range RoadOtago330 m330 m3150 m10.5%paved
12Ruapapa RoadHawke's Bay325 m344 m2942 m11.1%paved
13Haylocks RoadCanterbury253 m262 m1751 m14.4%paved
14Flagstaff RoadSouthland251 m259 m2299 m10.9%paved
15Sainsbury RoadWaikato248 m276 m4642 m5.3%paved

Net rise is the endpoint elevation difference; total ascent counts every metre climbed, including dips regained — and, since it adds the small rises of an unsmoothed 1 m profile without ever subtracting, read it as indicative rather than surveyed (why).

Provisional measurements

Measured by exactly the same method, but the evidence quality sits below B — usually short-window maxima steep enough to trigger the plausibility review, awaiting a closer look. The numbers stand as measured; treat them as provisional until reviewed. What the evidence-quality letters mean →

ClimbRegionLengthOverallMax 25 mSurfaceNotes
Mt Campbell RoadTasman5.2 km12.5%28.7%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Pawsons Valley RoadCanterbury0.4 km18.4%26.7%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Lookout RoadCanterbury2.8 km3.4%25.5%≈caveatedmixed surface22% unpaved
Lerwick TerraceWellington0.5 km12.6%25.0%≈caveatedpaved
Lighthouse RoadCanterbury2.7 km8.6%24.7%gravelunpaved throughout
Wainui Valley RoadCanterbury1.8 km13.1%23.8%≈caveatedmixed surface77% unpaved
Erepeti RoadHawke's Bay6.9 km3.6%22.9%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Dykin RoadNorthland0.8 km9.1%22.8%gravelunpaved throughout
Ruatahuna RoadBay of Plenty3.7 km6.9%22.5%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Discovered lane (-39.2470, 176.6690)Hawke's Bay2.7 km12.3%22.4%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Lands End RoadCanterbury1.9 km7.1%22.2%gravelunpaved throughout
Torehape Road WestWaikato4.0 km4.6%22.1%≈caveatedmixed surface75% unpaved
McIntyres Access RoadHawke's Bay0.8 km12.1%21.8%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Fraser Dam RoadOtago6.7 km6.7%21.8%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Mahaki Settlement RoadGisborne3.0 km4.6%21.6%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Discovered lane (-35.2487, 174.2173)Northland1.7 km4.3%21.5%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Ohuka RoadHawke's Bay10.0 km3.1%21.2%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Centrebush LaneWaikato0.4 km11.4%21.0%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Main RoadBay of Plenty7.5 km1.8%21.0%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Tukurangi RoadHawke's Bay4.0 km8.7%20.9%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Pokopoko RoadHawke's Bay5.0 km7.6%20.9%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Shoot RoadSouthland0.9 km7.3%20.8%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Batley RoadNorthland3.8 km1.7%20.8%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Te Towaka-Port Ligar RoadMarlborough7.6 km4.4%20.7%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Discovered lane (-40.5213, 176.4854)Manawatū-Whanganui3.7 km5.5%20.6%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Fringed Hill RoadNelson5.3 km11.0%20.6%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Patutahi RoadNorthland2.0 km6.0%20.5%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Puketiro RoadWellington2.0 km10.5%20.5%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Pomare RoadWellington0.7 km12.1%20.4%paved
Ocean Beach RoadHawke's Bay4.6 km1.9%20.4%mixed surface50% unpaved
Discovered lane (-36.8314, 175.6562)Waikato2.8 km8.9%20.4%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Brooklyn Valley RoadTasman1.9 km10.1%20.3%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Waitata RoadMarlborough3.9 km7.4%20.2%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Lower Flag Range RoadHawke's Bay3.4 km3.3%20.2%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Kohumaru RoadNorthland13.2 km1.5%20.2%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Mill Creek RoadWaikato7.0 km1.7%20.2%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Waitaanga RoadManawatū-Whanganui9.4 km1.5%20.1%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Tima Burn RoadOtago11.4 km5.3%19.9%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Otaranoho RoadManawatū-Whanganui8.8 km6.2%17.0%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout
Discovered lane (-41.0964, 172.9289)Tasman2.9 km10.7%16.6%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout

Browse every climb

Real pages, not a hidden table: each link below is a page of its own with 200 climbs on it, and every one of the 699 published climbs appears on exactly one of them.

By Region: Auckland 109 · Bay of Plenty 21 · Canterbury 92 · Gisborne 3 · Hawke's Bay 44 · Manawatū-Whanganui 17 · Marlborough 20 · Nelson 17 · Northland 90 · Otago 103 · Southland 14 · Taranaki 5 · Tasman 21 · Waikato 72 · Wellington 58 · West Coast 13

Steepest first: 1 2 3 4   A–Z: 1 2 3 4

All climbs (699)

The complete published NZ set — ranked rows plus the review-status and annex climbs, labelled. Click a column heading to sort; every filter mirrors into the URL so a view can be shared.

Download the dataset (CSV) ODbL 1.0 OCL format

ClimbRegionStatusSurfaceLengthNet riseOverallMax 25 mEvidence

Road status under review

Measured like everything else, but these roads are absent from (or barely touched by) the LINZ Topo50 road network — usually a farm or forest track, a private drive, or a map phantom. The class sits out of the rankings until verified — each one returns as evidence clears it. Pages stay live and honest.

ClimbRegionLengthOverallMax 25 mSurfaceNotes
Discovered lane (-35.2838, 174.0854)Northland0.4 km18.0%34.5%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Baldwin Street GuinnessOtago0.4 km17.4%34.5%pavednot in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.1751, 173.1436)Northland0.3 km25.2%33.6%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Arnold StreetOtago0.4 km17.3%32.9%≈caveatedpavednot in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.3353, 174.6904)Auckland1.7 km11.0%32.7%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Bruce RoadGisborne2.2 km3.6%30.7%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-45.7455, 170.6346)Otago1.0 km12.0%30.0%mixed surface54% unpaved, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.2868, 174.8026)Auckland0.5 km15.6%29.8%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.0785, 174.5951)Northland0.5 km14.0%29.7%≈caveatedmixed surface69% unpaved, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-42.4184, 171.3119)West Coast10.2 km8.0%29.4%≈caveatedmixed surface53% unpaved, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.1014, 173.7302)Northland0.4 km14.3%29.3%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.2142, 174.0449)Northland0.3 km17.3%28.4%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-40.9607, 175.0034)Wellington1.7 km10.0%28.4%≈caveatedmixed surface74% unpaved, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8346, 175.1462)Auckland0.9 km11.0%28.2%≈caveatedmixed surface57% unpaved, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.1957, 175.0357)Wellington0.2 km12.0%28.1%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8548, 175.7061)Waikato1.5 km10.5%28.1%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.0450, 174.9327)Wellington1.1 km18.2%28.0%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.1651, 174.8529)Wellington0.6 km16.9%28.0%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-37.7386, 176.2011)Bay of Plenty0.2 km22.2%28.0%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.1354, 172.9419)Tasman0.9 km16.5%27.9%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8272, 174.4606)Auckland0.3 km15.1%27.9%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8143, 175.1151)Auckland0.4 km16.5%27.8%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Cedar Creek RoadOtago2.0 km10.1%27.7%≈caveatedmixed surface68% unpaved, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-43.2053, 171.7056)Canterbury0.3 km12.4%27.4%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8140, 175.1246)Auckland0.4 km14.1%27.4%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.7124, 174.3068)Northland1.0 km14.0%27.3%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8248, 175.1118)Auckland0.4 km17.9%27.3%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8455, 175.1395)Auckland0.3 km14.6%27.2%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-45.9358, 170.3394)Otago0.4 km17.8%27.1%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.2172, 173.4010)Nelson0.8 km11.2%26.9%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.7975, 175.1560)Auckland0.5 km16.6%26.8%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.6772, 174.6943)Auckland0.5 km13.8%26.7%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Inglis StreetAuckland0.3 km14.6%26.7%≈caveatedpavednot in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Bridgeman RoadHawke's Bay1.5 km6.3%26.5%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.6974, 174.6995)Auckland0.5 km9.2%26.3%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-40.3924, 175.7284)Manawatū-Whanganui0.3 km15.4%26.3%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Robin Hood Bay RoadCanterbury2.6 km8.0%26.3%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Leonardo LaneCanterbury0.6 km17.6%26.1%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.8308, 174.3944)Northland0.3 km15.8%26.1%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Reeces RoadCanterbury2.8 km9.3%26.0%surface unverifiedsurface unrecorded, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.2440, 173.3345)Nelson0.5 km20.9%25.9%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.7972, 175.0708)Auckland0.5 km10.6%25.8%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.5460, 173.9082)Northland3.6 km9.1%25.8%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-43.7897, 172.9476)Canterbury0.5 km15.8%25.8%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.5796, 174.3384)Northland0.3 km14.2%25.6%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-35.6650, 174.2996)Northland0.3 km15.1%25.6%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.2714, 174.9595)Wellington0.6 km13.4%25.5%pavednot in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-41.2739, 174.7652)Wellington0.5 km15.7%25.5%≈caveatedgravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-40.2750, 176.4428)Hawke's Bay0.3 km13.3%25.5%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely
Discovered lane (-36.8845, 175.0402)Auckland0.2 km19.7%25.4%gravelunpaved throughout, not in the state road inventory — forest/camp lane or private drive likely

…and 290 more roads under review — see them all in the catalogue.

Sources & credit

Elevation: nz-elevation 1 m DEM/DSM national LiDAR mosaic © Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), CC BY 4.0, measured in NZGD2000 / NZTM2000. Road geometry: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Road classes and surfaces: LINZ Topo50 road centrelines and LINZ Addressing road sections (LINZ Data Service), CC BY 4.0. Place and region names: OpenStreetMap administrative boundaries. Updated 28 September 2026 — what changed. Full terms: licensing & reuse.