# "Gravity Hills" and other anomalies **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970 "2006-07-25T16:08:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/21 "2011-12-01T17:55:31Z")
Do brains roll uphill? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/22 "2011-12-01T18:07:11Z")
I remember driving thru the Sierra Nevadas on the way to Yosemite & Kings Canyon where the road winds along the Merced River and gradually climbs from sea level to several thousand feet. You are surrounded by steep hills, but the road slope is very gentle for most of it. We had an argument about whether the road was sloped up or down, and since we had no level in the car, stopped and rolled an empty beer can on the road. It appeared to roll the wrong direction, and I’m assuming it was more due to the natural terrain illusion than a paranormal votex. Of course, we emptied the beer cans first, so that might have enhanced the illusion. Such is science. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/23 "2011-12-01T18:08:01Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > For instance, do you know of a place where the flow of a waterway (river, creek, stream) appears to go uphill? Curious to read answers to your question. There is a tiny village on the Gaspé peninsula in Québec called Ruisseau à Rebours (flowing backward brook). My brothers and I stood more than once for a long time staring at the brook, and at one point we thought we saw it flow back uphill. Mom told us that it must have been the effect of the tide, as that village is right near the sea. Decades later, I found out that the village was named for a settler whose name was Harbour, and the name became distorted with time. Still, I know what we saw. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/24 "2011-12-01T18:16:10Z")
One of the golf courses I regularly play at has a green that fools everyone the first time they play it. You look at that green from the tee and you swear it slopes severely back-to-front. When you’re standing on the green you still swear it slopes severely back-to-front. In fact the green slopes mildly front-to-back. You’d think I’d learn, but I’ve three-putted that green so many times… ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/25 "2011-12-01T20:03:26Z")
I remember my parents taking me to a “Magnetic Hill” in Northern Ontario. I can’t remember where, because I was very little, but I remember my Dad putting the car in neutral and it seemed to roll uphill. Of course I wanted to get out and watch the car actually move but my parents wouldn’t let me. 😉 Some ghost hunter show did the one with the children on the train tracks and they put baby powder on the trunk and small handprints DID show up. It was freaky. (It was a TV show so you have to take it with a few grains of salt, but still.) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/26 "2011-12-01T21:04:01Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > Some ghost hunter show did the one with the children on the train tracks and they put baby powder on the trunk and small handprints DID show up. It was freaky. (It was a TV show so you have to take it with a few grains of salt, but still.) Sounds like something [Fact or Faked](http://www.syfy.com/factorfaked/) would do. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/27 "2011-12-01T23:32:17Z")
There’s an on/off ramp near [In-Ko-Pah](https://www.google.com/search?q=In-Ko-Pah&hl=en&rlz=1C1TSNJ_enUS453US453&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=0wvYTtCTHKeYiQKSnIy-CQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBQQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=659) that is known for it’s messed up gravity. Add to that it’s isolated location, evidence of long-gone Native Americans, a lost railroad, and the mystery caves, and you have an afternoon of heebie-jeebies to enjoy. Every time I pass by on my way back from San Diego, I do the whole coasting upward with my car. Even knowing it’s an illusion I giggle like a school girl. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/28 "2011-12-02T00:46:45Z")
When I used to bike a lot there was a stretch of road where no matter which direction you were riding it felt like you were going downhill. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/29 "2011-12-02T02:13:54Z")
There’s a gravity hill at my work [(Rose Hills Memorial Park](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Hills_Memorial_Park) in Whittier CA). It works during the day, so it’s probably not ghosts. Great way to trip out the new hires. The “bottom” of the hill is at 34°00’47.34" N 118°02’10.74" W in case you want to check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/30 "2011-12-02T18:01:59Z")
I’ve been to one in India, of course named [Magnetic Hill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_Hill_%28India%29), rather underwhelming to be honest, although the landscape is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/31 "2011-12-02T18:27:01Z")
Washington DC. Where up is down, in is out, the grass is blue and the sky is green. Biggest mystery spot in the world. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/32 "2011-12-02T18:41:08Z")
I read the OP and thought, “I know of such a place!” I read the link and found the one I’ve been to listed there. Hooray! I’ll tell the OP about it! I then see that the thread is 5+ years old. Oh well, the OP is still active. So, anywho - I’ve been to this one: ```auto Gravity Hill Wisconsin, LaFayette Co., S. of Schullsburg & Rennick Rd. No Unknown www.math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physic s/roll-uphill.html ``` It’s pretty amazing - but just an optical illusion. Everytime I’ve taken someone new there, I’ll stop the car and put it in neutral with the brake held. Then I’ll ask them which way is uphill - they’ll always indicate that it’s the direction we’re pointing. I’ll release the brake and away we go - coasting uphill! Still, it’s pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/33 "2011-12-02T18:54:35Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > I’ve been to one in India, of course named [Magnetic Hill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_Hill_%28India%29), rather underwhelming to be honest, although the landscape is amazing. Going a little deeper in that linked page I found [List of gravity hills](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_magnetic_hills) which doesn’t yet have an entry for Tennessee. Either the one I mentioned in the OP is not an official “gravity hill” or nobody has chosen to list it at Wikipedia. The USA places listed there can be seen at [List of gravity hills - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_magnetic_hills#United_States) Maybe some of those are close to you? ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/34 "2011-12-02T18:55:12Z")
The google map view isn’t all that good - but see if you can see which way you think is up the hill. [Gravity Hill Facing South](http://maps.google.com/?ll=42.547132,-90.233242&spn=0.000004,0.004128&t=h&z=19&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=42.547132,-90.233242&panoid=7SZrbdyn5JauXpNR6KRaOg&cbp=12,195.12,,0,11.28) Feel free to look around with the arrows to get your bearings. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970/35 "2011-12-04T16:57:53Z")
Here is a youtube [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-kLZZLQEg8) of one on Promised Land Road in Portville, NY. As a kid, my grandfather used to take us here - but it was a wooded road back then. (yeah, I’m that old) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-hills-and-other-anomalies/365970.md?page=1)