Snake Alley, Burlington

State: Iowa. Type: historic curved street/landmark in Burlington, Des Moines County. Built 1894 (completed 1898). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (added September 6, 1974). Known as "the crookedest street in the world" per Ripley's Believe It or Not!, which in 2017 named it the #1 spot in its Odd Spots Across America campaign.

Snake Alley is a single, tightly serpentine block of North Sixth Street on Heritage Hill in downtown Burlington, built in 1894 by three German immigrant designers to give horse-drawn wagons a manageable route down a steep bluff between a residential shopping strip and the downtown business district. Rather than a straight, steep grade, the street was laid out with five half-curves and two quarter-curves over just 275 feet, echoing the switchback vineyard paths its designers had seen in Europe. Paved in limestone and blue-clay bricks angled specifically to help horses keep their footing, the alley is one-way, downhill only, to keep vehicles from losing control on the ascent. Decades after it was built, syndicated columnist Robert Ripley featured it in his "Believe It or Not!" column as the crookedest street in the world, a title Burlington still promotes today, and by total degree of turning (1,100 degrees) locals note it out-curves San Francisco's better-known Lombard Street (1,000 degrees). The alley remains a functioning public street in a historic residential district and doubles as the course for an annual bicycle race.

Snake Alley runs one block along North Sixth Street between Washington Street (bottom) and Columbia Street (top) in downtown Burlington, Des Moines County, in southeastern Iowa along the Mississippi River. It sits on Heritage Hill, within the residential Snake Alley Historic District, an easy walk from Burlington's downtown business core.

Burlington has a humid continental climate with hot, humid summers and cold winters, typical of southeastern Iowa. Sources consulted for this entry did not include a dedicated climate page; travelers should expect snow and ice in winter (which can make the steep brick grade slick) and warm, humid conditions in summer.

Spring and fall offer mild temperatures for walking or driving the alley and exploring the surrounding historic district. The alley hosts the Snake Alley Criterium bike race over Memorial Day weekend and the Snake Alley Art Fair on Father's Day weekend, so visiting during those events adds a festival atmosphere, while quieter shoulder-season weekdays suit those who just want photos of the street itself.

Heritage Hill's steep bluff made a direct street connection between Burlington's downtown and its North Sixth Street shopping district impractical, so in 1894 city engineer William Steyh, architect and landscape engineer Charles Starker, and paving contractor George Kriechbaum designed a switchbacking brick street modeled on vineyard paths they had seen in Germany and France; the street was completed in 1898. Its limestone and blue-clay bricks were laid at an angle to improve traction for horses on the 21% grade. Long simply considered part of North Sixth Street, the block eventually picked up the nickname "Snake Alley" for its serpentine shape. In the 1940s, Robert L. Ripley featured it in his "Believe It or Not!" column as the crookedest street in the world, cementing its national reputation; the street was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 6, 1974, and Ripley's organization revisited the honor in 2017, naming it the top spot in an "Odd Spots Across America" campaign.

Most visitors walk, drive, or bicycle down the one-way curved alley to experience its steep, switchbacking brick grade firsthand and take photos from the overlook at the top. The street is also the signature climb of the annual Snake Alley Criterium bicycle race (Memorial Day weekend), and the surrounding historic district hosts the Snake Alley Art Fair (Father's Day weekend) and the Snake Alley Festival of Film, an international filmmaking competition.

Beyond the alley itself, the surrounding Snake Alley Historic District is a largely residential area worth a short walking tour for its period architecture. Downtown Burlington's business district sits at the base of the hill, an easy walk from the bottom of the alley.

Burlington sits in southeastern Iowa along the Mississippi River; the sources consulted did not specify a dedicated commercial airport serving the city directly, so most visitors arrive by car via U.S. highways feeding into downtown Burlington. Snake Alley itself begins at the intersection of Washington Street and North Sixth Street, at the edge of downtown.

Snake Alley is a public city street with no gate or posted visiting hours, so it is accessible at any time; sources consulted did not list specific closures. Because it is one-way downhill only, plan to approach from Columbia Street at the top and descend toward Washington Street.

There is no admission fee; Snake Alley is a free, publicly accessible city street. Sources did not indicate any fee for viewing or walking it.

Most visitors spend well under an hour: enough time to walk or drive the block-long alley, take photos from the top overlook, and stroll a bit of the surrounding historic district.

Downtown Burlington, within walking distance of the alley, has a mix of small hotel and motel-style lodging typical of a small Mississippi River city; sources consulted did not name specific properties, so travelers should check current listings for downtown Burlington accommodations.

Downtown Burlington's business district, at the foot of Heritage Hill, has a range of casual dining options within walking distance of the alley; sources consulted did not name specific restaurants, so check current downtown Burlington dining listings.

The rest of the Snake Alley Historic District's residential streets and downtown Burlington's business district are both within easy walking distance. Sources consulted did not detail other specific nearby attractions beyond the immediate historic district.

Sources consulted did not identify a commercial airport or rail station serving Burlington directly; the city is reached primarily by personal vehicle via regional highways in southeastern Iowa.

Snake Alley is a real, active public street with a steep 21% grade and sharp brick-paved curves, so drivers should go slowly and only downhill (it is one-way); pedestrians should watch for descending vehicles and use caution, especially when the bricks are wet or icy. For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable shoes for walking the steep grade and a camera or phone for photos of the curves and the overlook view are the main practical items; a jacket is worth carrying in cooler months given the exposed hillside setting.

Approach and drive the alley only from the top (Columbia Street) going down, since it is legally one-way; take extra care in wet or icy weather given the steep brick grade. Pair a visit with a walk through the wider historic district and downtown Burlington, and consider timing a trip around the Snake Alley Criterium or Art Fair for a livelier visit.

Dial 911 for any emergency. For visitor questions, the Greater Burlington Partnership/welcome center can be reached at 319-752-8731 or welcomecenter@greaterburlington.com.

Greater Burlington Partnership - https://www.greaterburlington.com/snakealley ; Travel Iowa - https://www.traveliowa.com/places/snake-alley/690/

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.