Ohio is an unusual state. In pop culture, it is typically portrayed as being rural and quiet. Locals know that the opposite is often true, especially when it comes to hauntings and local lore. One of the weirdest rumors you might hear floating around is the existence of a gravity hill near Cleveland, where a car in neutral will appear to roll uphill. Why does this happen? Could it be that the forces of gravity work in reverse here? Sometimes, science is stranger than fiction, and that’s definitely true at this weird local landmark near Cleveland.

See that little hill in the distance? It seems to be an upward incline, but you're actually traveling downhill when you take this route.
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This phenomenon is known as a gravity hill, although it has other nicknames depending on the region you visit. These landmarks are optical illusions; cars appear to roll against the force of gravity at these sites.
While the back roads in Kirtland Hills are notably winding and hilly, this landmark near the intersection of Little Mountain Road and King Memorial Road is truly a mindboggler.
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From the vantage point of the viewer in this photo, it appears that you are looking downhill toward an intersection. The car facing the camera sees what appears to be an upward incline. For both vantage points, the opposite is true.

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Your brain perceives the landscape as sloping upward here, but if you were to put your car in neutral it would seem to roll uphill.
Google Maps
Why does our brain see this? Well, the trees masking the horizon definitely play a factor. Without a horizon, or any other reliably flat reference point, it is nearly impossible for your brain to perceive the true angle of the landscape.
The phenomenon is totally weird, and it definitely has a tendency to catch unsuspecting commuters by surprise.
Google Maps
Photos don't quite do this hill justice... it has to be seen in person for the full experience. Perhaps most interesting, as noted by coveted local guide to the unknown Weird Ohio, is the fact that there are no bizarre legends surrounding this site. Oftentimes, the legend may relate to magnets or curses, as explained at this Scotland site in this episode of World's Strangest by the Science Channel: 

News 5 Cleveland covered the story just a few years ago, and their experience can be found on YouTube: 

This landmark may seem totally bizarre, but there are hundreds of gravity hills across the entire globe. Many places have one... and Clevelanders are lucky enough to experience this phenomenon just around the corner from home!

So there you have it! Did you know that there is a gravity hill near Cleveland? Have you ever experienced this unusual phenomenon yourself? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Love Cleveland landmarks? You can see what our landscape looked like in years past from these old photos of Cleveland.

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King Memorial Rd & Little Mountain Rd, Kirtland Hills, OH 44060, USA