Abstract: A tailgate ladder assembly includes a pickup bed having a tailgate hingedly coupled thereto. A housing includes a bottom wall, a top wall and a pair of side walls. The bottom wall is attached to the tailgate and has an open end facing away from the bed. A pair of guides is slidably mounted within the housing and each abuts one of the side walls. Each of the guides has a first end that is extendable outwardly of the front end in a deployed position. A bottom ladder includes a pair of legs and a plurality of steps attached to and extending between the legs. Pivot rods extend through the legs and the guides to pivotally couple the bottom ladder to the guides. The bottom ladder is pivotable to be extendable into the housing or to extend downwardly from the tailgate.

Abstract: A tailgate ladder system includes a pickup bed that has a tailgate hingedly coupled to the pickup bed. A bottom wall is attached to the tailgate and a pair of supports is attached to the bottom wall. A pair of guides is provided and each of the guides has a first end and a second end. Each of the guides is pivotally coupled to one of the supports. The guides are selectively positionable in a stored position lying on the bottom wall or in a deployed position vertically oriented when the tailgate is horizontally oriented. A step assembly comprises a pair of legs each having a top end and a bottom end. A plurality of panels is attached to and extends between the legs. Each of the legs is slidably positioned in one of the guides. The legs are selectively positionable in an extended position or in a retracted position.