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 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.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Roadside America · Only In Your State · listentothebear.com · exploringtheobscure.com
last checked: 2026-06-09