Mingus Mountain
5 Star Route
Sedona, Arizona
A route with a chunky knee-busting climb, big views, a stupendous descent and a stop in the town of Jerome, "The Wickedest Town in the West". Visit the Douglass House, a museum devoted to the history of the Jerome area and grab a bit to eat.
Route: Loop | 36 mi
Gain: 4,800 ft
Surface: 50% gravel / dirt road, 50% pavement
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
Mitch & Walt
5 Star Route
Prineville, Oregon
A big ride, with big returns! Great views, lightly traveled roads, and a mid-ride stop in Mitchell, OR which means it could be an easy overnighter in case 64 miles seems a bit too long.
Route: Lollipop | 64 mi
Gain: 5,600 ft
Surface: 55% gravel road, 45% tarmac
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
Montezuma
5 Star Route
Tucson, Arizona
The route climbs up the majestic Montezuma Pass, dives off the back …. then sweeps down across open grasslands in the San Rafael Valley. Three pitched rollers later and you arrive at Parker Canyon lake.
Route: Out & Back | 36 mi
Gain: 4,300 ft
Surface: 93% gravel, 7% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Motown
5 Star Route
~ Detroit, Oregon
A ride with a big beat! Roll along Detroit Lake, climb to the basalt cliffs. Deep green forests. And lots of wild rhododendrons in the spring.
Route: Lollipop | 40 mi
Gain: 3,900 ft
Surface: 40% gravel road, 60% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Mount Tam
Development Route
San Francisco, California (South)
Climb to the top of Mount Tam and bask in the views of San Francisco Bay. Explore where mountain biking was born.
Route: Loop | 30 mi
Gain: 4,500 ft
Surface: 45% gravel, 50% paved, 5% single track
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Mt Barrow
5 Star Route
Launceston, Tasmania
Mt Barrow is one of the most difficult and rewarding climbs in the Launceston area. And, this “loop with a dogleg” route turns the incredible climb into quite the adventure.
Route: Loop | 31 mi
Gain: 4,500 ft
Surface: 85% gravel, 15% paved
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
O’Leary Landslide Loop
5 Star Route
~ Eugene, Oregon
A big climb! Beautiful views! And one of the best (long) gravel descents in the region! But we hope you like rockslides that require a little hike a bike, that includes crossing the landslide.
Route: Loop | 56 mi
Gain: 5,500 ft
Surface: 45% gravel road, 10% trail, 15% Roubaix, 30% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Extremely Remote
Options: Shorter
Oktoberfest
Development Route
Bend, Oregon
Meander through the logging roads out to Tumalo Falls and back. Our favorite way to see the fall colors.
Route: Loop | 29 mi
Gain: 1,800 ft
Surface: 80% gravel / dirt roads, 10% single-track, 10% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Owyhees Tour
Bikepacking Route
Southeast, Oregon
A four-day, bikepacking route across the Owyhee Mountains, over the Owyhee Desert, and along the Owyhee River. Highlights include the ghost town of Silver City, the Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway, Three Forks Hot Springs, and herds of wild antelope.
Duration: 4 Days
Route: Loop | 225 mi
Gain: 14,000 ft
Surface: 75% gravel, 25% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Panther Creek
5 Star Route
~ Columbia River Gorge, Washington
The Panther is just one cool cat … and so is this ride which includes meandering along and past Panther Creek, Panther Creek Falls, a whole lot of lush forest including the Wind River Experimental Forest and … a stop along the Pacific Crest Trail.
Route: Loop | 21 mi
Gain: 2,600 ft
Surface: 25% gravel, 75% paved
Technical Difficulty: Easier
Locale: Remote
Par 3 on the Devil
Development Route
Death Valley National Park, California (South)
Ride and explore the floor of Death Valley. Learn about the ecology and treacherous history of the area. A must-do ride if you are a history buff!
Route: Out & Back | 27 mi
Gain: 280 ft
Surface: 100% gravel
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Patagonia 50
5 Star Route
~ Tucson, Arizona
The classic Patagonia ride looping through the San Rafael valley with big views of the Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains and a highly scenic stretch of gravel road along Harshaw creek. This is a must do ride when in the area.
Route: Lollipop | 50 mi
Gain: 3,000 ft
Surface: 80% gravel, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Pipeline Track
5 Star Route
Hobart, Tasmania
Get ready for fern trees and a mossy, vibrant, green forest as you ride along the gravel track of an old water pipeline that gradually climbs to the Wellington Falls trail head.
Route: Out & Back | 15 mi
Gain: 1,200 ft
Surface: 100% gravel
Technical Difficulty: Easier
Locale: Remote
Pozo Nuevo
Development Route
~ Ajo, Arizona
An exploratory gravel bike ride through the southwest Arizona Sonoran desert: Puerto Blanco Drive, Pozo Nuevo, and Bates Wells. With a bit of early 1900's ranching history thrown in.
Route: Point to Point | 64 mi
Gain: 2,200 ft
Surface: 45% paved 55% gravel
Technical Difficulty: Unknown
Locale: Remote
Puerto Blanco Drive
5 Star Route
Ajo, Arizona
One of the most scenic gravel roads in Arizona, the 37 mile Puerto Blanco Drive travels deep into the unspoiled backcountry of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, across cactus plains, and through mountain foothills.
Route: Out & Back | 49 mi
Gain: 1,900 ft
Surface: ~ 100% gravel dirt road
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Extremely Remote
Punchbowl (Arizona)
5 Star Route
Phoenix, Arizona
A ride with big views of the Superstition Mountains and the Four Peaks Wilderness area with a kick-butt gravel road descending down to the Salt river.
Route: Out & Back | 36 mi
Gain: 4,500 ft
Surface: 25% gravel, 75% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Ragged Jack
5 Star Route
Launceston, Tasmania
The baby brother to Ben Lomond (and the Jacob’s ladder route). While Jack may be a little smaller in stature, he’s a cute little bugger with a good bite!
Route: Loop | 32 mi
Gain: 3,700 ft
Surface: 80% gravel, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Redmond Farm Ride
Development Route
Seattle, Washington
A mixed gravel bike ride exploring the urban beauty of the historic Redmond farm lands and the eastside of Lake Sammamish. Includes some of the best trails in the area and the scenic Snoqualmie Falls.
Route: Loop | 79 mi
Gain: 5,100 ft
Surface: ~ 40% gravel, 10% single track, 30%, paved multi-use path, 20% paved road
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Reuben
Development Route
Prineville, Oregon
An east to west traverse of the Maury mountains along the high point ridge. Starts with a big climb, finishes with a big descent. In between a lot of rollers on dirt roads. Some exceptional views along the way.
Route: Loop | 56 mi
Gain: 5,100 ft
Surface: 80% gravel, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
Sherman’s Waltz
5 Star Route
Bend, Oregon
Gravel Girl’s favorite ride with a visit to Round Lake, the Wizard Falls fish hatchery, and Camp Sherman store. And a red cinder descent that showcases the expanse of Sisters mountain range.
Route: Loop | 45 mi
Gain: 3,300 ft
Surface: 55% gravel, 10% single track, 35% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Rural
Skidoo
5 Star Route
Death Valley National Park, California (South)
A mixed gravel ride to the booming gold town of Skidoo, high above the Death Valley basin in the Panamint mountain range. There is plenty to explore along the way and at the end of the route. This is one of the most historic mining areas we have been to.
Route: Out & Back | 36 mi
Gain: 4,100 ft
Surface: 45% gravel, 55% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Extremely Remote
Skull Valley
Development Route
Prescott, Arizona
Dust off that polka dot jersey because you are going to need those climbing legs for this one. The route starts in Skull Valley so that you can get that first big climb out of the way …. and so you won’t wuss out and skip it altogether. Besides the climb, this ride takes you on some highly scenic gravel roads and includes a “groovy” paved downhill and water stop in Prescott, what a bonus.
Route: Lollipop | 38 mi
Gain: 4,900 ft
Surface: 75% gravel, 25% single track
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Rural
Sleeping Beauty
5 Star Route
Hood River, Washington
You will need mind altering drugs or a tremendous vision to think the rock formation on this ride looks like sleeping beauty, but this ride is still very much a fairytale …
Route: Loop | 34 mi
Gain: 3,000 ft
Surface: 40% gravel, 60% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Rural
Steens Mountain Tour
Bikepacking Route
Burns, Oregon
This is a five-day cycling tour around and up Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon. The route mixes pavement with gravel, alternating day-by-day. Weather extremes should be expected.
Duration: 5 Days
Route: Loop | 281 mi
Gain: 13,600 ft
Surface: 35% gravel, 65% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
