Entry No. 25 — the Anchorage file — filed under: outdoor-weird
Gravity Hill
“where the laws of physics appear to clock out early”
On a quiet residential stretch of Upper Huffman Road in the Hillside neighborhood, there's a spot where the laws of physics appear to clock out early. Put your car in neutral at the bottom of the hill, take your hands off the wheel, and watch as you roll — unmistakably, measurably — uphill, reportedly reaching speeds of up to 12 mph on ice. It's a classic gravity hill: a topographic optical illusion so convincing it fools your phone's accelerometer right alongside your eyes. Most Anchorage residents have no idea it exists, and the ones who do tend to guard it like a neighborhood secret. There are no signs, no gift shop, no hours — just a public road doing something roads aren't supposed to do, any time of year, in any weather.
The story
Drive up O'Malley Road toward the Chugach front range, hang a left onto Hillside Drive, and swing onto Upper Huffman Road, and you'll find an ordinary strip of suburban Anchorage pavement that appears to ignore basic laws of physics. Stop your vehicle in the dip near the 8220 address, shift into neutral, and lift your foot off the brake. Instead of sitting still or rolling down the slope you just descended, your car will steadily coast backward up the incline, reportedly reaching speeds up to 12 miles per hour on slick winter ice.
There is no subterranean magnetic anomaly or localized gravitational tear at work here. This is a textbook gravity hill—a topographic optical illusion caused by the surrounding landscape. Because the Chugach foothills slope steeply toward Cook Inlet and trees block a true flat horizon line, your brain misinterprets the tilt of the land, perceiving a slight downward slope as a uphill climb. The visual trick is so persuasive it can even fool your smartphone's internal accelerometer alongside your eyes.
What keeps Upper Huffman's dip compelling is how completely uncommercialized it remains. Longtime Anchorage locals know about it, though many treat it as a neighborhood secret they'd rather keep off visitor itineraries. You won't find a sign, a toll booth, a gift shop, or parking meters—just a public residential road quietly performing a trick any hour of the day, all year round.
What it's like
Expect a quiet residential corridor with no turnouts or official markers, so you'll need to watch your odometer and look for the road dip near the 8220 address and Aurora View Circle. Pull over only when traffic is completely clear, put the transmission in neutral, and let go of the pedals—your passenger will almost certainly accuse you of sneaking your foot onto the gas. Keep noise down and driveways clear out of courtesy to the local homeowners. If you head up in winter, make sure your vehicle has AWD or solid winter tires, as the steep Hillside grades get icy fast.
The move: Drive up O'Malley to Hillside Drive, hang a left on Upper Huffman, and find the dip around the 8220 mark — put the car in neutral, let go, and let your passenger insist you must be pushing the gas.
📍 Before you go The spot sits on a residential stretch of Upper Huffman Road on Anchorage's Hillside, reached by following O'Malley toward the mountains, turning south on Hillside Drive, then left onto Upper Huffman; watch for the dip near the 8220 address. These are people's homes, so be respectful, don't block driveways, and only stop when the road is clear of traffic. It works year-round, though the Hillside grades get icy in winter, so winter tires or AWD help you get up there. Keep climbing and Upper Huffman feeds the Glen Alps and Upper Huffman trailheads into Chugach State Park, the standard launch for Flattop Mountain (a parking pass is required up there).
- 📍 South Anchorage / Hillside
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 8220 Upper Huffman Rd, Anchorage, AK 99507
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Glen Alps / Flattop Mountain Dark-Sky Overlook — Keep climbing Upper Huffman Road past the illusion to reach this Chugach trailhead, where you get sweeping panoramic views over the Anchorage bowl and direct mountain access.
- Sky Harbor Airpark — Trade optical illusions for neighborhood aviation quirks by heading down into South Anchorage, where a gravel residential street doubles as an active FAA-registered airstrip.
- Snow Blossom Acupuncture — Float Tank — Continue the theme of mind-tricking sensory experiences by pairing your Hillside test drive with a soak in Alaska's first permitted float tank down in South Anchorage.
Good to know
How do I find the exact location on Upper Huffman Road?
Take O'Malley Road east toward the mountains, turn south onto Hillside Drive, then turn left onto Upper Huffman Road. Watch for the dip in the road around the 8220 address near Aurora View Circle.
Is there an admission fee or set operating hours?
No. It is a public municipal road open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no entry fees or staff.
Is your car actually rolling uphill?
No. It is a visual optical illusion created by the terrain and an obstructed horizon line; the road is actually sloping downhill, even though your eyes tell you otherwise.
Can I visit Gravity Hill during the winter?
Yes, the optical illusion works year-round, but because the Hillside neighborhood features steep grades that freeze over, winter tires or all-wheel drive are strongly recommended.
What else is further up Upper Huffman Road?
Continuing past the spot leads straight to the Glen Alps and Upper Huffman trailheads inside Chugach State Park, which serve as the main gateway for hiking Flattop Mountain.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Roadside America · Only In Your State · listentothebear.com · exploringtheobscure.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-09