Top 10 North American Gravel Fondos 2023

There are a handful of gravel rides that have shaped this new genre of cycling, invented in the U.S. Midwest nearly 20 years ago which has spread globally

Perhaps the greatest appeal is the adventure inherent in riding 100 or more miles – and not for prize money but for pride. Because most gravel rides are unsupported, you're on your own dealing with the weather, broken roads, or broken bikes. As one "grinder" puts it, there's none of that "happy bullshit with team cars and stuff."

The established North American gravel rides are weekend long festivals attracting thousands of riders with inclusivity encouraged for all ages, juniors and the LGBTQ community.

Equality reigns, all genders in the North America ride the same distance as men.

Gran Fondo Guide has reached its 11th year of operation, the Worlds Leading Amateur Cycling Platform has reached a global audience of nearly 4 million unique users, over 185,000 visitors per month and over 1.61 million page impressions per month.

Make sure you add at least one of these outstanding events to your Bucket List!

The first edition in 2006 started with just 34 riders, and now has grown to become arguably the World’s Premier Endurance Gravel Race. And so it is fitting that the event and its organization, the one embodied by a limitless ethos that calls Emporia, Kansas its home, now has a name to match its ferocious spirit.

Although some may think riding in the gently rolling prairie terrain of Kansas doesn’t sound tough, adding in 200 miles of potentially brutal headwinds and paralyzing amounts of mud make UNBOUND the premier challenge of all gravel fondo events. The winner typically finishes the original 200 mile course in just under 13 hours, with some taking nearly the entire day.

The event now has distances to suit all abilities of cyclists; 25, 50, 100 and 200 miles. For those ultra-specialists there’s the brutal XL distance of 350 miles. The XL is the distance Joel and Jim Cummins first set out to create in 2006. It’s long. It’s hard. It’s Extra-Large. It’s totally rider-self-supported. It’s Extra-Wild West and only real Cowboys and Cowgirls need apply.

Oh and remember, this is the USA, so badass Women and the LGBTQ community “don’t do” shorter distances.

NEW for 2023 is junior’s race will now cover the 50 and 100 mile distances.

The 50 mile junior categories: 12-13, 14-16, 16-18 Boys and Girls. 100 mile Jr. category: 14-18 Boys/Girls. Additionally, the 50 miler is now a RACE! 50 mile categories: Open Men, Open Women, Non-Binary, Para Men, Para Women, E-Bike, Junior Race.

Photo: The smile from John Capuchino says it all as he crosses the finish line in Emporia, Kansas after epic muddy conditions in 2022.

The event SELLS OUT every year, the only way to secure a place is through the random selection process. For UNBOUND Gravel 200, 100, 50, or 25 that’s from January 5, 2023 until January 20, 2023.

In 2022 were Epic Muddy conditions, the course was thick with mud on sections, leaving riders exhausted and struggling to stay upright. Amazing bike handling skills required just to keep going.

In the Unbound XL race, William Harrison of Charlotte, N.C., crushed Unbound Gravel's 350-mile grinder with a winning time of 20:17:29, Harrison maintained a 17.25 mph pace. Cynthia Frazier of Lexington, V.A., was the first woman to roll through the finish with a time of 22:27. 

The 2023 Unbound XL will be a whopper, with riders like Ted King and Nicholas Roche down on the start sheet.

Dutchman Ivar Slik won a four-up sprint to win 2022 Unbound 200, beating defending champion Ian Boswell, Keegan Swenson, and Laurens ten Dam. Slik, 29, is an elite-level beach racer, races on the road for UCI continental team ABLOC, and on gravel for the Wilier Triestina factory team.

In the 2022 Unbound 200 women's race, Sofia Gomez Villafane took the win, soloing home in a time of 10:27:41. Less than 10 minutes behind, the second place finisher was former champion Lauren De Crescenzo who nearly got hit by a dear out on course, in third place was Emily Newsom. 

Get ready for the UNBOUND Gravel 200, 100, 50, or 25 random selection process that starts January 5, 2023 until January 20, 2023.

For more information please visit: https://www.unboundgravel.com.

This is the #1 Gravel Stage race in the USA, with jaw-dropping scenery, camaraderie, and the legendary tenting and camp fires. Every respectable gravel rider need to add the OTGG to their bucket-list at least once (probably more than once).

The EPIC 5-day Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder returns next June 21-25 with limited places left.

It’s for racers AND adventure riders who want to test their limits and push personal boundaries, so much so, it sells out well in advance every year.

It has one of the biggest prize purses ($10,000 USD) in North America gravel racing that attracts many of the biggest names in the sport internationally.

This five-day event located in Sisters, will challenge and reward racers and adventure riders not only on the epic days in the saddle and celebrate every night back at camp. Each stage has two distances for Settlers and Pioneers. The e-bike category continues but still limited to just 25 riders.

The fabulous team at Breakaway Promotions will take care of all of the details and support you on your journey - from tents to gourmet food to professional massage and nightly entertainment - you'll come away sore, accomplished, and with unmatched tales and friendship from the trail.

There a HUGE range of additional options to suit everyone’s needs including VIP tent service, Shuttle, RV Parking, Bike Ship Service, Post Ride Massages and Meal packages for all your friends and family!

The five-day race in 2022 started and finished in Sisters and included 362 miles and 33,560 feet of climbing. It featured some of the top gravel cyclists in the country. Sofia Gomez Villafañe, of Heber City, Utah, won the women's competition in 17 hours, 39 minutes, 20 seconds. Sarah Max was second in 17:54:28, and Sarah Sturm, of Durango, Colorado, took third in 17:58:31.

In the men's race at the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder, Christopher Blevins, of Durango, Colorado, won in 14:56:45 and Peter Stetina, of Santa Rosa, California, was second in 14:58:53. Howard Grotts, of Durango, took third in 15:03:39.

A Game changer in Gravel Racing:  the new Tag Team Category!

The Tag Team is a new way to experience the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder with your best riding partner.  You decide which days you want to ride while your partner rests and relaxes at camp- then you switch!

Also new for 2023, two friends can sign up for the new Buddy Package and get a bigger discount as well as a sharing a VIP tent! At least one of the buddies needs to be a new OTGG rider to share the gravel stoke! The discount is applied when you choose the Buddy package during registration / checkout.

Registration will sell out at 400 participants, with limited places remaining.

OTGG donates over $25,000 USD annually to help grow and rebuild the small mountain communities the race travels through.

For more information please visit: https://www.oregontrailgravelgrinder.com

The Oregon Gravel Grinder Series showcases the best gravel trails in Oregon with four EPIC Gravel Adventures; the Gorge Gravel Grinder in April, the Cascade Gravel Grinder in May, the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder in June, and the Ochoco Gravel Grinder and Festival in July.

Celebrating its 12th anniversary this brutally challenging ride has a revised, dirtier, more entertaining route in 2023 with 137+ miles, more than 50-miles of which are off-road, with over 11,000 feet of climbing.

In 2021, the BWR was the largest gravel race in the US and grew nearly 175% with so many new female competitors joining in the fun.

Last year‘s prize purse was $50,000 in cash and prizes distributed between the top five men and women, inclusive of a $5,000 purse and prizes for the top three junior riders.

Created as an extremely challenging race in the spirit of the great European one-day Spring Classics, the BWR is known as the most unique cycling event in the country for its incredibly dynamic multi-surface parcourse replete with dirt, sand, rocks, gravel, water crossings and even some asphalt. There will be three distances on offer in CA, the longer Waffle with the half-as-long Wafer and even shorter Wanna rides in San Marcos, CA on Sunday April 16, 2023. The event also caters for e-Bikes and Tandems.

Last year organizers Monuments of Cycling invested heavily in rider support for the legion of riders who comprised the largest gravel race field in the country. More new, safer routes that were perfectly marked, more Police and Highway Patrol personnel on course, 11 Feed Zones, roving on-course mechanical support for all and hundreds of volunteers on hand to help riders navigate what could be the greatest physical achievement of their lives.

“With other events placing the elite racers as the focus of their efforts, we have made a conscious decision to provide rider safety and support that covers everyone who registers. We want to complement our significant prize purse offering with unparalleled aid for all the riders who approach these events as some of the most important days on their calendar. It’s our mission that the final finishers will receive the same love and support the first finishers get,” added, Michael Marckx.

Monuments of cycling partnered with OpiCure Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to bringing awareness of opioid addiction, redefining best practices for recovery and devoting resources to affect positive change in the Utah community and beyond. Together, they want to raise awareness on the opioid crisis by using our large gravel races across the United States to showcase the power of the bicycle. OpiCure.org

2023 Belgian Waffle Ride Calendar

Inaugural BWR AZ in Scottsdale, AZ on March 11 – 12, 2023
12th Annual BWR CA in San Diego on April 14 – April 16, 2023
Inaugural BWR BC on Vancouver Island, BC on May 26 – 28, 2023
3rd Annual BWR NC in Asheville on June 9 – 10, 2023
4th Annual BWR UT in Cedar City on August 25 – 26, 2023
3rd Annual BWR KS in Lawrence on October 13 – 15, 2023
Inaugural BWR México in Queretaro, MX on November 25 – 26, 2023

For more information please visit: https://belgianwaffleride.bike/pages/california

Space is limited and sells out every year so register now!

Entering its tenth year of utter madness, Rock Cobbler has become notorious for its excruciating courses and unique in-ride challenges, like last year’s ball pit, riding through someone’s house, riding over tires or mandatory push-ups!

California’s Central Valley plays host to the event as over 500 riders snake across some of the best gravel Bakersfield has to offer. Double-track farm roads, rocky cattle trails and paved bike paths make up much of the 80-mile route with about a 60 to 40 split between dirt and asphalt, and over 6,500 feet of climbing insane gradients. Those looking for something shorter can ride the Pebble Cobbler which tops out around 40 miles.

The partnership with BMC not only celebrates the continued growth of the Cobbler event itself, but also serves as a showcase for BMC’s line-up of dedicated gravel bikes.

Some riders are out there for nearly 9 and half hours, such is the legendary brutality of the course. Riders are typically forced to run, hike, run, cross rivers and drag their bikes over terrain that just can't be ridden. To say its tough is an understatement!

Last year a cyclist was violently tossed off his bike and then rammed by an angry bull! Tony Inderbitzen made the regrettable decision to try to pass a bull on the trail instead of giving the animal a wide berth as other riders apparently did, and he paid a painful price. The bull charged him, knocked him off his bike and then rammed him, tossing him into the air!

Race founder and chief excitement officer Sam Ames indicated that three cyclists had an argument with the bull, “For the record, while we love our shenanigans at the event, this was not planned, we don’t condone riding at or near bulls,” Ames said. “In nine years, we have passed countless cows and bulls. All riders involved are safe, unharmed if you can believe it, and two of the three finished the ride and toasted beers. Rider safety is a top priority, so while this is able to get some laughs, thankfully, we will review or modify our route as needed for next year.”

Beware of the Tacoman out on course!

The Rock Cobbler always presents finishers and attempters with a special gift that is kept secret until the ride is over. There are no categories, but the fastest male and female finisher of each ride gets an extra special prize. For those who have come and conquered, or passed out trying, they truly understand the Cobbler quote: “When you finish (if you finish) you will know WHY it’s called the Rock Cobbler!

As is the tradition the final routes are announced the week of the event.

For more information, please visit: www.rockcobbler.com

In 2010, 100 friends came together and to ride 150 miles unsupported and the Gravel Worlds was born. In 2023, Gravel Worlds celebrates its 14th edition on August 25-26, 2023 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The event sticks to its American Heritage by focusing on what really matters: Friends and Family coming together to ride bikes.

All levels of riders are welcome with the 50k Buccaneer, 75m Privateer, 150m Gravel Worlds and the 300m Long Voyage.

The 2023 Garmin Gravel Worlds promises an unparalleled challenge for the gravel enthusiast. The pirates are charting a Gravel Worlds route of approximately 150 miles and over 10,000 ft of climbing – adventuring through the rural farmlands of Southeastern Nebraska. World Championship jerseys are up for grabs in all categories.

Overall Male and Female win the title of Captain of the Gravel Seas, World Champions Jersey, and Pirate Sword Trophy.

In tradition with true grassroots style events, you are only allowed to use what you  bring with you or what you can find along the route.

The course will pass several convenience store/gas stations and each course will have sponsored checkpoints which will provide water and basic supplies.

NO Team Vehicles or Family/Friends, No Domestiques and No Preplanned handouts from teammates only what you can start with!

2022 Garmin Gravel Worlds® 150 mile Champions

Man: Adam Roberge 6:59:44 (GW Record) Prevost, QC
Woman: Lauren De Crescenzo 7:33:03 (GW Record) Longmont, CO
Non-Binary: Apollo Leonard 9:39:05 (GW Record) Bellingham, WA
Para Man: Alexander McKiernan 14:56:43 (GW Record) Lincoln, NE

2022 Long Voyage 300 mile Champions

Man: Colin Patterson 17:21:41 (GW Record) Savannah, GA
Woman: Paige Redman 20:14:11 (GW Record) Tuscan, AZ
Non-Binary: Lily Friend 27:00:57 (GW Record) Austin, TX

Lincoln is full of amazing shops, restaurants, hotels, and attractions. Downtown Lincoln is 3 short miles south of the start line. 

In 2022, astonishingly the event attracted 1,000 women who equalled around 40% of the riders. A worlds first!

Since 2018, Gravel Worlds awards the Randy Gibson Climbers Jersey that is awarded to the first male and female to reach the top of the biggest climb of that year’s course. One of the greatest pirates in our Gravel Family, Randy was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2017. Randy brought Gravel Worlds to where it is today and no-one will never forget the Friend, Husband, and Father he was.

The actual 2023 Courses are under wraps and will be announced on Saturday August 13th.

For more information please visit: https://www.gravel-worlds.com

This race comes at that time of year when you are going stir crazy 'cuz the trails aren't ready for traffic yet.

Barry-Roubaix, named after its classic namesake allows cyclists and racers of all levels start their season with a real challenge, and experience rolling gravel roads, pavement, one mile of rough two track, rocks, sand, mud, and possibly snow and ice as you traverse the scenic roads of Barry County. This is an exceptionally organized and well-executed event.

There are four race lengths to challenge riders of all abilities; the 18-mile Lauf “Chiller” has approx. 1,200 feet of ascent, the 36-mile “Thriller” climbs approx. 2,200 feet of ascent, the 62-mile SRAM “Killer” climbs approx. 3,800 feet of ascent.

For those who feel some early-season form on tap, the 100-mile Panaracer “Psycho Killer” has over 7,000 feet of climbing, beware!

Gravel, Cyclocross, Mountain, Road, Single-Speed, Fixed gear, Fatbikes & Tandem bicycles are welcome in any category.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rob Meendering Photography

The Race starts in waves to give riders ample room to enjoy the ride and scenery, with Neutral aid stations and a huge after-party and awards ceremony!

The route is well marked, extremely well. The local community and People of Hastings are wonderfully supportive. Some say it’s arguably the best atmosphere at the start of any bike race they ever ridden.

Hearing the cow bells and cheering at the top of some of the climbs helped so many riders stay positive and finish.

The weather can be brutal, mud sloppy roads, lung busting climbs, frozen fingers and toes, miles and miles of pure misery with locals cheering you on – what’s not to like?

The town of Hastings, Michigan does a phenomenal job of embracing the scene. Hands down the best gravel road race.

There is $40,000 USD of prizes on offer across all raced distances for the top men, women, and non-binary, juniors and bike types! There is also a youth team competition to encourage the next generation to race and see what we love about cycling and gravel.

The AFTER PARTY makes it! Founders Beer, a live band, Hastings hospitality with ginormous fire-pits, fun food and friends reuniting!

If you have not done it or have not done it in a while, put it on your calendars. This is Bucket List event for sure!

For more information please visit: https://barry-roubaix.com

Rebecca's Private Idaho is a true gravel grinder of a ride, it's meant to sap the strength of riders, not only through steep climbs, but in the navigation of miles and miles of unforgiving rock and grit.

You’ll ride with Rebecca on grueling gravel roads through canyons, over summits, and across high mountain basins. So you can expect spent legs, new friends, and an irresistible urge to return. Maybe some high-fives from Rebecca out on course!

As a seven time world champion, professional endurance athlete Rebecca Rusch has raced all over the globe in some of the most sublime, challenging, and striking places on earth. Even with the world as her office, there’s no place she’d rather be than her own backyard in Idaho.

Rebecca is delighted to show off the stunning scenery, down-home hospitality, and the challenge of the raw and varied terrain, “I started RPI because I wanted to share the beauty of Idaho with other riders.”

Idaho is famous for its potatoes, hence the ride has three aptly named distances which cater for cyclists of all abilities - an event for everyone. You can ride solo, tandem or a duo too. And yes, potatoes are one of the many options at each of the feed zones.

From the smashing climbs for experienced riders in the four-day Queen's Stage Race to the introduction to gravel riding in the Tater Tot 20 miler, RPI Sun Valley has something for every level that will be sure to reward your hard work with stunning views and hometown hospitality. 

The 20 mile Tater Tot features the same professional experience as the Baked Potato and French Fry routes in a more bite-sized format. Tater Tot riders will enjoy a mix of 1/2 gravel and 1/2 pavement as the perfect intro to gravel riding with just 1,171 feet of climbing.

There’s nothing small about the 56 mile French Fry. It offers all of the jaw dropping views and remote landscape of the Big Potato, just in a smaller package with 3,543 feet of climbing.

Then there’s the Baked Potato, the biggest bite you can chew on with 5,295 feet of climbing. Enjoy the Big Lost River basin. To the right are the distinctive Pioneer Mountains, Idaho’s 2nd highest mountain range topping out over 12,000 ft. This high mountain valley is home to pronghorn, deer, elk and moose.

From the starting elevation, you’ll climb about 2,000 ft up to the top of biggest climb of the day, Trail Creek Summit and the first rest stop on the French Fry and Big Potato!

The gravel is chunky and where it looks deceivingly flat, it is not. Wildhorse Canyon, the gravel is often full of washboards that keep you on your toes.

Copper Basin, a stunningly beautiful valley filled with sagebrush and willow-rimmed creeks, all hemmed in by the great White Knob and Pioneer mountain ranges.  This is the most beautiful and most challenging part of the course.

Grab your boots and join us to kick-off your Rebecca’s Private Idaho experience with music, drinks, pig roast and good ‘ol Western hospitality at the exclusive VIP party. You are invited to mingle with other Rebecca's Private Idaho guests to eat, drink, and be merry!

All Rebecca’s Private Idaho riders pedal with a purpose, supporting the Be Good™ Foundation, which operates with the mission of enriching communities by using the bicycle as a catalyst for healing, empowerment, and evolution.

For more information please visit: https://www.rebeccasprivateidaho.com

The event was founded by Colorado native gravel racer Amy Charity. The unique combination of the quiet roads surrounding a thriving resort town create a setting for an incredible gravel bike race. The 4th edition takes place on August 20^th 2023.

While U.S. road racing continues to show declines in sponsorship and participation, gravel continues to gain major momentum. Gravel events embody adventure and community, and continue to gain popularity among elite and amateur cyclists alike.

SBT GRVL courses are fun, but not without challenge. Courses are well marked and there will be fully stocked aid stations with Honey Stinger nutrition, Coke, water, ice and all sorts of great things to get you through your challenge.

Those seeking the ultimate challenge can saddle up to 9,000 feet of climbing on the Black 142-mile race course, destined to become a highly sought-after title for endurance gravel pros. The Blue course is a ‘best-of-Steamboat’ experience wrapped up in 100 miles and the 60 miles Red course is the ‘go-to route for a solid day on the bike’. The Green course is a 37-mile introduction to the area’s unrivalled gravel roads.

Winners of the Overall, each Age Group, and Single Speed Categories for SBT GRVL BLACK will walk away sporting the SBT GRVL p/b Wahoo Champion Cowboy Hat. The prize purse is in excess of $28,000 and attracts the top U.S. and International gravel racers from around the world.

One of the core values of the event is inclusivity, Amy Charity stated "It means that when you come to Steamboat Springs, whoever you are, you feel welcome here, you feel like you belong here, and it doesn't matter if you are at the absolute front end of the peloton, you're a World Tour pro, or you're somebody doing your very first bike event or you're a seven-year-old kid or an 82-year-old, we want you to feel welcome and like you belong."

In addition to entry, riders will receive a free FinisherPix finish line photo, with additional photography from around the courses available for purchase. Riders also receive a BOCO finisher hat, pre-race coffee, on-course signage, fully stocked aid stations, finisher meal and drink, loaded swag bag and sponsor offers exclusive to SBT participants.

Defending Men's Pro champ Keegan Swenson is returning to SBT in August.

Proceeds of the event go to local advocacy partners that do great things in the community including Protect Our Winters, Ride for Racial Justice, All Bodies On Bikes, The Cycle Effect, People For Bikes, the Bahati Foundation, Community Ag Alliance, Routt County Riders and Boys & Girls Club of Steamboat Springs.

Experience high-altitude gravel, a weekend full of events for the whole family and ranch-town hospitality at SBT GRV.

Unfortunately 2023 registration has already closed with a full field of 3,000 riders.

For more information please visit: https://www.sbtgrvl.com

The Gravel Fondo links 107 miles of red, rutted roads and features more than 6,000 feet of climbing with Carney, Oklahoma as its halfway point. 121 riders from 9 states braved the course that first year. The event has grown into a 3-4 day festival with the addition of live music, the 50k run, 50 mile ride, and the Double (100 mile ride and 50k run) alongside the original 100 mile race.

Nearly 4,000 people come to experience these wild roads on foot and by bike together from 47 states and around the world, from countries like Canada, Brazil, Belgium, Denmark, England, and Australia.

The weather has been a defining characteristic of the challenge. When the rain falls on Oklahoma the red dirt roads become an unforgiving "peanut butter mud" that will leave mile-long sections of un-rideable hike-a-bike experience.

It will force you to find the strength, grit, and resolve that you never knew you possessed. The spirit of The Mid South is found in the will to redefine what is possible.

The Stillwater community comes to put on the Biggest and Baddest Bike Party every year!

2023 registration is now closed, but all para categories, 50k and the 12 mile will stay open for some time.

For more information please visit: https://www.midsouthgravel.com

The TransRockies Gravel Royale course traverses Panorama Mountain Resort, Nipika Mountain Resort, the Village of Canal Flats and ends in the City of Fernie, B.C. The four-day stage race will cover 400 km (248 miles) and around 7,500 m (25,600 ft) of climbing.

TransRockies Gravel Royale will also offer an alternative option for riders, a three-day E-Bike “Poker Ride”.

After kicking off at Panorama Mountain Resort the course takes athletes on remote logging roads, over steep mountain passes, by clear blue rivers and fun fast gravel. The other host communities Nipika Mountain Resort, Village of Canal Flats and the Town of Fernie will be very inviting and a great backdrop for this one-of-a-kind gravel event.

Overall 2022 Women’s winner, Rach McBride, was really impressed by the event, during and after the race, “This race is definitely unlike anything else I have experienced in gravel racing so far” McBride shared. “The courses, the multi-day aspect and the tent camping, it really all has been a fantastic experience and so fun to be surrounded by the gravel community all week.”

After each stage, participants can anticipate a relaxing, fun and memorable time at camp. After 20 years, TransRockies has perfected their camp hospitality and provides all of the amenities riders could need.

The TransRockies team transports gear/luggage, sets up tents at each stage, provides showers and prepares meals. Each night, massage and athletic therapy stations are available along with mechanical support and a bike wash for participants.

With all TransRockies stage races, “Chillville” will make another appearance at Gravel Royale and will be equipped with music, snacks, and a nice campfire for riders to socialize and hang out with other participants.

For the more completive, race categories include; Women’s and Men’s Elite/Pro, Open Masters Mixed, Super Masters 100+ and Open Masters Men, Non-Binary and Adaptive.

Aaron McConnell, President of TransRockies Race Series states “The TransRockies Gravel Royale was born from our sheer passion of gravel and has been a dream for many years“.

“From the beginning we believed that we could bring something special to gravel cycling - with a focus on adventure, community and an incredibly spectacular route.”

“We’re immensely proud of the overwhelming success of the inaugural edition in 2022, and all the feedback we received from participants. A massive thank-you to all our partners, crew who helped us turn our dream into reality.”

"We’re really looking forward to 2023 and welcoming everyone to the second edition of the Gravel Royale.”

TransRockies Gravel Royale 2023 registration is open, places are limited, so avoid disappointment and register NOW as the race will SELL OUT IN ADVANCE of August 2023.

For more information please visit: https://www.transrockiesgravelroyale.com