Sometimes you may find or hear of a mysterious place where objects can appear to be rolling uphill. Is this supernatural or simply an illusion, or is this a sign you are psychologically unstable? 

Where To Find These Rolling Uphill Places

It can be a stretch of road in a hilly area where the true horizon is obscured.  Objects such as trees and walls that normally provide visual clues to the true vertical, may be leaning to create the magic.  Objects or even rivers may appear to roll or flow uphill. However, this is all an optical illusion, making a slight downhill look like an uphill slope or rivers flow against gravity.

Some Mystery Locations

• Branciforte Dr.  Santa Cruz, CA – Mystery Spot Road – A spot 50m in diameter in the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains
• Putney Road, Benzie County, Michigan – Mystery Spot
• Northwest Baltimore County – Gravity Hill – along a public road that ran through the Soldier’s Delight environmental area
• Mooresville, Southwest Indianapolis – Gravity Hill – Located off SR 42 on the South side of Mooresville
• Ewing Road, Route 208, Franklin Lakes – Gravity Road
• Blowing Rock, hwy 321, Carolina – Mystery Hill
• Idelwild Park, Ligonier, Pennsylvania – Confusion Hill
• State Route 96 New Paris, Bedford County, Pennsylvania – Gravity Hill
• Rennick Road, on County Truck U, South of Shullsburg, in LaFayette County, Wisconsin – Gravity Hill – (near White’s Hill)
• Gold-Hill, Grants Pass, Oregon – Oregon Vortex
• North Wales Drive, North Avenue, Lake Wales, Florida – Spook Hill
• Gapland Road just outside Burkittsville, Gapland (Frederick County), Maryland – Spook Hill

The Illusion Of Rolling Up Hill

These strange places and occurrences are often referred to as Gravity Hill, Magnetic Hill, Mystery Hill, Mystery Spot or Gravity Road. So is it something supernatural, or is there a reason behind this phenomenon? The only magic at work is the magic of illusion, an optical illusion to be exact. The main factor contributing to the illusion is a completely or mostly obstructed horizon. Without a horizon, judging the slope of a surface is difficult as a reliable reference.

Objects would normally assume to be more or less perpendicular to the ground such as trees, may actually be leaning and offsetting the visual reference. So the layout of the surrounding land produces an optical illusion, making a slight downhill slope appear to be an uphill slope. Thus, a car left out of gear would appear to roll uphill against gravity. There are hundreds of recognized gravity hills around the world, check out the LIST…

Watch The Illusion Explained

Psychologically Sound

Those who are not familiar with this strange phenomenon, might call you crazy when you start talking things rolling up hill. You might even feel crazy when you find a river flowing uphill or your bike seems to coast up hill. Our minds can play tricks on us and that’s OK, it just means your mind is working as it should. When you find yourself on a road that appears to defy gravity, your visual perception is trying to cope with logic.

Those who have ridden bicycles on these mysterious roads have felt drastically confused. They see what they think is an uphill angle, and their body is expecting to start pedaling harder, but all of a sudden, it is free coasting. That moment of confusion plays a small psychological trick called “Motion Aftereffect“. I really good example of this is, if you have ever drove your car onto a ferry boat. The boat is moving and as long as you sit in your car while the boat is in motion, everything is fine. But if you open your car door while looking down, your body almost lunges forward because you think you have suddenly stopped. It might even make you feel nauseous. 

If you ever encounter any of these strange rolling uphill occurrences, rest assured, you are not crazy. It’s OK if your mind and body seem disconnected, you are still psychologically sound. This just means that your mind and body are working together just fine. This natural mysterious phenomenon is just the earth’s way of playing the roll of a magician. We love stories like these, so if you ever run across or know of areas that defy logic, please contact us and tells us your tale.