In the United States, hill climbs have a long tradition stretching back to the early days of motoring competition. Some are in the European-style and take place on long mountain courses, and in many cases spectators are either banned or heavily restricted for safety or insurance reasons.

Pikes Peak The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the world's premier Hill Climb Race. This event has been entered by many internationally renowned drivers, Indy 500 champions, and multiple world rally champions. The course finishes at a height of after navigating 156 turns. The current record holder is Romain Dumas, who completed the course in 2018 with a time of 7:57.148 in the Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak. Additional races are held in Colorado, conducted by the Colorado Hill Climb Association (CHCA) during the summer months. These range in length from about two miles (3 km) to five miles (8 km) long.

Northwest Hillclimb Association The Northwest Hillclimb Association (NHA) is based in the Pacific Northwest, and has been putting on a hillclimb series for several decades. NHA is currently run as a sanctioning body, and hillclimbs are hosted by various clubs in the region. The hillclimb series changes from year to year as new hills are added, and others may be cancelled due to inclement weather or road condition changes.

Vehicle classing consists primarily of SCCA Solo classing, but allows for SCCA GCR classes, SOVREN Vintage classes, and several NHA Special classes. +As of 2023, the NHA Hillclimb Series includes:NameLocationHosting ClubLength (miles)Elevation Change (feet)Cascade Lakes HillclimbAshland, ORSiskiyou Sports Car Club2.0407Cope-Myers Memorial HillclimbGoldendale, WABridge City Autosports2.0531Larison Rock HillclimbOakridge, OR Emerald Empire Sports Car Club1.9823Hoopa HillclimbHoopa, CARedwood Sports Car Club2.11,152Korbel HillclimbBlue Lake, CARedwood Sports Car Club1.25500Bible Creek HillclimbWillamina, ORWillamette Motor Club2.2653Freeze Out HillclimbEmmett, IDBogus Basin Hillclimb Association1.6400Maryhill HillclimbGoldendale, WA Willamette Motor Club2.0531

Eagle Rock The Eagle Rock Hill Climb is the oldest recorded official hill climb ever run in the United States. Started in 1901 in what was then West Orange, New Jersey, the first race was organized by none other than Willam K. Vanderbilt Jr. It lasted for several years until safety concerns by public officials closed it down in 1906. Anniversary races were held in 1951,1956, and 1976 but were more ceremonial than competitive.

Climb to the Clouds The Climb to the Clouds hillclimb on the course up the Mount Washington Auto Road on Mount Washington, New Hampshire is one of the oldest motorsports events in North America, first run in 1904. However, this climb has been held only sporadically since 1961. The event was revived in 2011 and is then next scheduled event is to be held July 8–11, 2021.

Chasing The Dragon The SCCA Chasing the Dragon hillclimb on the course up the Maple Gap Road in Nantahala Forests, North Carolina is held once each year near the Joyce Kilmer National Forests, first run in 2011. The hillclimb was founded by Ted Theodore, Cheri Brantley and Darryl "killboy" Cannon. This hillclimb is the oldest running hillclimb in the Southeast USA and is part of the SCCA Appalachian HillClimb Series. Fastest King and Queen get a Dragonslayer sword. Current overall Record holder, & current King of the Hill, is Justin Reed in a DF Kit Car Goblin in Special Open Class with a 107.803sec run, beating out last year's KotH Cody Pucket's 111.168sec run. Current fastest female, & current Queen of the Hill, is Michele Aubele in an LS powered 2012 BMW 135i in Sport Unlimited class with a 120.255sec run, beating out last year's QotH record holder Ryan Cheek's 121.611sec run. Admission is free for spectators and safe viewing areas are found on the hill.

Mount Equinox The hill climb with the longest road, that has been continuously run, in the world is the Mount Equinox Hill Climb located in Arlington, Vermont just outside Manchester. The length of the road is 5.2 miles and the elevation change is 3,100 feet. It contains more than 40 turns and cars have been clocked at breaking 100 MPH on the long straight ending at "The Saddle". The hill climb has been run by such famous drivers as Carroll Shelby, Briggs Cunningham, René Dreyfus, John Fitch and Miles Collier to name just a few. Started in 1950 as an official SCCA event, it continues uninterrupted, as a vintage car race. Since 1973 the sanctioning body has been the Vintage Sports Car Club of America.

The first event in 1950 was won by Bill Milliken driving a FWD Miller, on a 6.25 mile shale road, in a time of 6 minutes, 59.4 sec, (54.2 m.p.h. average).An Engineering Autobiography by William F. Milliken, Equations of Motion - Adventure, Risk and Innovation, Pages 420-424, Bentley Publishing, 2006, . The course was paved in 1953.New York Times, July 6, 1969, Page S7.

Mount Equinox Hill Climb past winners YearDriverVehicleTimeNotes 1954 Bill Lloyd Ferrari 5:04 S.C.C.A. Newsletter, No.13, July 31, 1954, Page 2. June 20. 1955 Bill Lloyd Maserati 3-liter 4:53.5 Road & Track, September 1957, Pages 48-49. (63.75 m.p.h.) 1956 Bill Lloyd Maserati #16 4:55.2 S.C.C.A. Newsletter, No.25, Aug 10, 1956, Page 4. June 17. 1957 Harry Carter Jaguar D-type #80 4:44.6 R Sports Car, S.C.C.A. magazine, July-Aug 1957, Page 46; Road & Track, September 1957, Pages 48-49. 5.2 miles (65.77 m.p.h.) 1958 1959 John Meyer Cadillac Special 4:46 New York Times, June 24, 1959, Page 27. 5.2 miles. 1960 Gordon Mackenzie Jaguar C-type 4:46 sec New York Times, June 29, 1960, Page 41. 1961 Stutz Plaisted Cooper F2 4:35 R New York Times, June 21, 1961, Page 45. 1962 Stutz Plaisted 4:25 R New York Times, June 24, 1963, Page 49. 1963 Stutz Plaisted Cooper-Buick 4:31 1967 Jerry Crawford Lola T70 4:11.4 sec New York Times, July 23, 1967, Page 162. 1968 John Meyer R New York Times, July 6, 1969, page S7. (75.241 m.p.h.) 1969 John Meyer Lola T70 Mk2-Chevrolet 4:11.4 (73.463 m.p.h.) Key: R = Course Record.

Georgetown, California On June 26, 1966, Allen Grant, driving an A.C. Shelby Cobra, won the ninth annual Georgetown Divide hillclimb. Grant climbed in 1:44.48 sec, beating Ray Seher's existing record of 1:46 sec. Over 120 cars were entered on Old Marshall Grade in the Sacramento S.C.C. sponsored event.Competition Press & Autoweek, July 26, 1966, Page A.

New York

Ellenville, New York In 1957 Vernon Bennett driving a Jaguar XK140 won an event here in 2:00.4 sec on a 1.5 mile course.New York Times, June 19, 1957, Page 4.

Rochester, New York A hillclimb was held at Dugdale Hill, Rochester, New York, on October 13, 1906. The free-for-all class was won by William "Billy" Knipper (Thomas 60-h.p.) in a time of 51.8 sec.International Motor Cyclopaedia, Year Book-March 1908 to March 1909, Page 102, Publisher: E.E. Schwarzkopf, New York.

Hobo Hill, New York Hobo Hill, New York, 1967: "Dick Hoban's Porsche RSK was the fastest of 46 cars at the Hobo Hill hillclimb, Bellvale, N.Y., April 30. Hoban, who holds the absolute record of 38.8 seconds, went up the hill in 39 seconds."Competition Press and Autoweek, May 27, 1967, Page 13. Bernie Switkes (Porsche Carrera) won an event held there on October 15, 1967.Competition Press and Autoweek, Nov 18, 1967, Page 10.

Virginia City, Nevada The Virginia City Hillclimb event has gone through several iterations over its 50+ year history. The original route on SR 342, run in the first annual Martini Trophy Hillclimb, was scheduled for 23–24 May 1964.Competition Press, March 7–20, 1964, Page 2. The event was won by Stan Peterson driving a Lotus 19 in a time of 112.804 sec.Competition Press, June 13–26, 1964, Pages W1. W6. The event ran once more in 1965 under the SCCA. In 1972 the current iteration of the event was born, utilizing the SR 341 truck bypass, and although numerous other clubs have used it over the years, the Ferrari Club Southwest Region event is the oldest and sole surviving annual event. The current record holder is Benn Godenzi, driving a McLaren Senna during the 2022 event to a time of 3:03.766. Also see: Virginia City Hillclimb.

Chimney Rock, North Carolina Chimney Rock Hill Climb, North Carolina, 1956-1995: "The first races were 2.7 miles, had 18 turns, and one mandatory stop approximately halfway up. In 1960, the trek was reduced to 1.9 miles and 13 turns; the dreaded halfway stop was eliminated. In 1976, safety issues cut the course down to 1.8 miles."

Chimney Rock Hill Climb past winners YearDriverVehicleTimeNotes 1956 1957Phil StylesDavis Special 1958 Phil Styles Davis Special Road & Track, August 1958, Page 55. 1959 Buddy Horton Elva-Climax 4.00.3 sec Greensboro Record, Nov 30, 1959, Page 24. April 25/26.1960 Ted Tidwell Elva Mk.V 2:30.6 sec Augusta Chronicle, April 25, 1960, Page 6. April 24. Bud Schuster Lotus Le Mans 2:28.8 sec R Augusta Chronicle, April 26, 1961, Page 6.1961 Spencer Greenhill Lotus FJ 2:21.0 sec R Frank Harrison Nov 25/26.1962 Frank Harrison Cooper FJ Frank Harrison Lola FJ 2:16.6 sec R Augusta Chronicle, Nov 26, 1962, Page 7. Nov 24/25.1963 Frank Harrison Lola-Ford 1,500 c.c. 2:15.8 sec R Competition Press, May 25, 1963, Page 6. May 4. Ted Tidwell Porsche S-90 2:20.4 sec Augusta Chronicle, Dec 2, 1963, Page 8. 1964 Ted Tidwell Porsche S-90 Ted Tidwell Porsche 904 GTS 2:11.2 sec R Augusta Chronicle, Nov 30, 1964, Page 9; Competition Press and Autoweek, December 26, 1964, Page 5. Nov 28/29.1965 Ray Newman Lotus 18 2:19.12 sec Augusta Chronicle, April 26, 1965, Page 8. April 24/25. Dec 4 Cancelled. Competition Press and Autoweek, Dec 11, 1965, Page 5.1966 John Scott A.C. Cobra 4.7-litre 2:10.5 sec R Competition Press and Autoweek, May 14, 1966, Pages 1, 11. April 24. Nov 27/8. 1967 Ted Tidwell Bobsy-Porsche 2:26.4 sec Augusta Chronicle, April 25, 1967, Section A, Page 9; Competition Press and Autoweek, May 13, 1967, Page 8. April 22/23. Wet. 1968 John Scott Cobra 2:12.0 sec Augusta Chronicle, April 29, 1968, Page 8. April 27/28. 1969 John Scott Cobra 2:09.144 sec R The Plain Dealer, April 21, 1969, Page 66. April 20. 1970 Ted Tidwell Zink Formula B 2:23.546 sec Augusta Chronicle, May 4, 1970, Section A, Page 10; The Washington Post and Times-Herald, May 4, 1970, Page C6. May 3. Wet. 1971 Harry Ingle Zink Super Vee 1:59.142 sec The Washington Post and Times-Herald, May 3, 1971, Page C6. May 1/2.1972 Harry Ingle 1:57.314 sec R Augusta Chronicle, May 1, 1972, Section A, Page 12. Harry Ingle Zink Super Vee Augusta Chronicle, Sept 24, 1972, Section B, Page 6. 1973 John Finger Formula Super Vee 1974 John Finger Formula Super Vee 1:51.806 sec Augusta Chronicle, April 29, 1974, Page 26. 1975 Gary Davis Volkswagen Special Augusta Chronicle, April 28, 1975, Section A, Page 10. April 26–27. 1976 Gary Davis Volkswagen Special 1:54.8 sec Augusta Chronicle, April 27, 1976, Page 4. 1977 1978 John Finger 1994 Jerry Kieft Mazda Bandit AR-1 1:43.849 R 1995 April 28–30. Final event. Key: R = Course Record.

Bellefontaine, Ohio The 13th annual running of the Bellefontaine Hillclimb, seven miles east Bellefontaine, Ohio, was scheduled for July 9–10, 1966, on the 0.6-mile Corkscrew Hill course, a temporarily closed public road.Competition Press & Autoweek, July 23, 1966, Vol.16, No.29, Page 8. See also: The Plain Dealer, July 8, 1966, Page 19. Steve Herbert, of Mansfield, Ohio, Porsche RS61, won the event in a record time of 37.4 seconds. "Herbert took the record away from Reg Howell of Dayton, who had run fastest last year with a time of 39.2 seconds."The Plain Dealer, July 15, 1966, Page 19; Sports Car, S.C.C.A. magazine, Sept 1966, Page 21.

Pennsylvania Hillclimbing in Pennsylvania is organized by the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association (PHA). www.PaHillClimb.org All events are sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)

Giants Despair Hillclimb