This Iowa Street Zigzags Down a Hill Like the Driver Lost a Bet
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Snake Alley is a historic hillside street in Burlington, Iowa, that suits visitors curious about unusual design, local history, and a memorable short outing. The route offers a close look at an old urban design choice, not just a crooked street. Its winding path makes a brief stop feel distinctive.
For Iowa travel, it is an easy place to pair a walk with a look at Burlington’s past. The word grade means a measure of slope expressed as the vertical rise compared with horizontal distance. That simple measure helps explain why the street drew attention.
You can notice how the route follows the hill and how its original design still shapes the street. Nearby historic places add more context if you have time. Treat the visit as a chance to notice the craftsmanship as well as the curves.
Key Takeaways
- A historic hillside street in Burlington, Iowa
- A short stop for local history and unusual design
- Its grade measures vertical rise against horizontal distance
- Nearby heritage sites can add context
- Snake Alley Criterium brings an annual bike race
Snake Alley Burlington Iowa: How Did Its Crooked Design Take Shape?
Snake Alley’s unusual shape began as an experimental way to connect Burlington’s steep hillside with the lower town. Its route took shape through a design meant to make the slope more workable. The street was built in 1894 and completed in 1898.
A 21% grade means the street rises 21 feet for every 100 feet of horizontal distance.
A hillside route with seven curves
Snake Alley Burlington, Iowa, history begins with its experimental 1894 construction. Charles Starker, William Steyh, and George Kriechbaum conceived the winding design. They drew inspiration from vineyard paths in France and Germany, where winding routes crossed steep ground.
The street is 275 feet long and rises 58.3 feet from Washington Street to Columbia Street. Its shape consists of five half-curves two quarter-curves, which create seven bends along the hillside. Snake Alley was originally considered part of North Sixth Street.
Bricks, limestone, and horse footing
Workers laid locally fired blue-clay bricks at an angle to help horses gain footing on the incline. The original brick paving remains in place, giving the route a visible link to its early construction. Nearby native limestone also forms part of the district’s historic setting.
The National Park Service’s historic district nomination describes the route, its paving, and nearby properties. The completion and street history records its 1898 finish and its early connection to North Sixth Street.
Snake Alley compared with Lombard Street
Snake Alley in Burlington differs from Lombard Street in San Francisco in both length and curve pattern. The comparison is useful, but neither street needs a world’s-crookedest title to stand out. Snake Alley has more total degrees of curves, while Lombard Street has more turns.
| Measure | Snake Alley | Lombard Street | What the comparison shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 275 feet | 600 feet | Lombard Street is longer |
| Total degrees of curves | 1,100 degrees | 1,000 degrees | Snake Alley has more curve degrees |
| Turn count | Five half-curves and two quarter-curves | More turns than Snake Alley | The bend pattern differs |
Ripley’s Believe It or Not recognized Snake Alley as “Unbelievably Crooked” and the “#1 Odd Spot” in 2017. The street was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and added on September 6, 1974. The original brick surface still makes the route’s nineteenth-century construction visible underfoot.
How Can You Visit Snake Alley and Follow the Traffic Rules?
Find Snake Alley on North 6th Street between Columbia and Washington Streets, then approach the route as a downhill street for vehicles. In Burlington, Iowa, the direction matters: vehicles travel from Washington Street toward Columbia Street. The City of Burlington Parks Department maintains the site.
Vehicle traffic is one-way downhill, while pedestrians and cyclists may travel in either direction. During warm-weather months, the street is open to auto traffic; outside that season, it is open to pedestrian traffic. The one-way vehicle rule helps you plan how to approach the route.
These conditions mean car access is seasonal, not year-round. Walking and cycling allow travel in both directions, so you can choose the approach that fits your plans. Use this checklist before reaching the street:
- Find North 6th Street between Columbia and Washington Streets.
- Check whether warm-weather auto access applies.
- Remember that vehicle traffic travels one-way downhill.
- Choose walking or cycling to travel in either direction.
The distance is short, but the street’s position between the two cross streets helps you find the right entrance. Washington Street marks the upper end of the vehicle route, while Columbia Street is downhill. Keep the two street names in mind when planning a drop-off or walk.
Because access changes by season, a visit on foot may suit dates outside the warm-weather period. The marked route also helps keep movement clear for everyone using the street. The Burlington Parks Department maintains the street, so visitors should keep to its marked route and respect its historic surface.
Which Annual Events Take Place on Snake Alley?
Snake Alley’s event calendar includes an uphill bicycle race, a Father’s Day art fair, and a film festival. These annual gatherings connect the street with Burlington’s creative spirit. The Snake Alley Criterium turns the climb into a race course each Memorial Day weekend.
The Criterium takes place each Memorial Day weekend, while its 2026 dates were scheduled for May 22 and 23. Those dates apply to the 2026 edition, not to every year’s schedule. The 2026 race dates provide a fixed example of how the annual timing works.
The three events have different focuses and calendar patterns. The bike race centers on the uphill route, the art fair falls on Father’s Day, and the film festival takes place at a downtown theater. Their schedules can help you choose a visit that matches your interests.
- The Snake Alley Criterium is an uphill bicycle race held each Memorial Day weekend.
- The Snake Alley Art Fair takes place annually on Father’s Day.
- The Snake Alley Festival of Film, also called SNAFF, is scheduled for July 8-11, 2027, at Burlington’s Capitol Theater.
The 2027 film festival dates belong to that year’s edition, while the Criterium dates above belong to 2026. Keep those years separate when planning. Both are specific scheduled dates, unlike the Criterium’s recurring Memorial Day weekend timing.
The art fair follows a holiday rather than a numbered date, so its day changes from year to year. The film festival gives you a separate chance to add a movie event to a Burlington visit. Each event offers a different way to experience the city’s local arts and sports scene.
These gatherings can shape the feel of a trip, especially when you want an event to be part of the visit. A race day, an art fair, and a film screening each call for different plans. Check the event’s own current schedule before building a trip around a particular year’s dates.
What Historic Places Can You See Near Snake Alley?
The Phelps House Museum gives visitors a nearby historic stop at the top of Snake Alley. Its address is 512 Columbia Street, and the Victorian house dates to 1851. The furnishings reach back to 1774, adding an older layer to the house’s local story.
The Heritage Center is a separate stop from the houses and lanes clustered near the hillside.
Phelps House at the top of the hill
The Phelps House stands at the top of the route, making it a natural nearby place to consider during a visit. Its 1851 construction places it within Burlington’s nineteenth-century history. The furnishings, some dating to 1774, connect the rooms to an earlier period.
The address, 512 Columbia Street, identifies the museum near the upper end of the hillside street. Visitors interested in historic places can use the house to look beyond the road itself. Its date and furnishings offer two clear details to keep in mind.
Cobblestone Alley and the county heritage galleries
Cobblestone Alley sits a quarter-block east of Snake Alley. Large blocks of native limestone form its surface, giving the lane a different feel from the surrounding streets. Its location makes it another close point of interest for visitors exploring the area.
The Des Moines County Heritage Center is at 501 North 4th Street. Its local history galleries offer another place to browse the story of Des Moines County. You can make the Heritage Center part of a wider look at the county’s past.
These sites give a visit several distinct points of focus: a historic home, a limestone alley, and galleries devoted to local history. The county heritage center adds a broader setting beyond the hillside district. Des Moines County’s heritage can be explored through both individual buildings and shared collections.
Consider which stop best fits the time you have and the kind of history you want to see. The Phelps House ties the visit to a specific historic home, while Cobblestone Alley offers a close look at a stone lane. Pair the street’s distinctive engineering with one nearby heritage stop to make the visit more than a quick photo stop.
Conclusion
Snake Alley makes a short Burlington stop feel distinctive because its built form and local heritage meet in one place. It remains a working hillside route as well as a memorable historic landmark. The old street also reflects the creative spirit behind Burlington’s approach to a steep urban setting.
Choose a visit date that gives you time to notice the details, rather than treating the street as only a quick photo. If an annual race, fair, or film event interests you, check its calendar before making plans. Choose a visit date that suits your plans, and check the relevant event calendar if you want to experience the street during a community gathering.
