Dirty Water Route 500km

September 22 - September 23 2025

South Point OH

Unconfirmed

Distances: 315 miles

Difficulty: Ultra Distance and Climbing for events well over 100 miles

Update for 2023s Race: NOTE that 2023 we have "tweaked" the route to add more gravel! Always use the most updated route information prior to the event.

Its official... you're crazy. At least that's what your friends and family think. This event began as one of those terribly awesome bad ideas that seems to get worse as you go but suddenly turns out amazing. In 2021, we're introduced the Dirty Water Route to the world as an official gravel grinder event. Riders who sign up must complete the challenging course in under 38 hours to receive a coveted belt buckle, or under 62 hours to receive an official finish time. The course is relentlessly hilly and there are over 100 miles of rough gravel roads on the 314 mile route. This event is self-supported, just you against the route. We are providing some extra safety checkpoints this year stocked with some basics to help you along the way. What you get by registering for this race is an epic route, a mass start, and the motivation to challenge yourself on a self-supported bicycling adventure. We also have an excellent race day t-shirt and custom neck gaiter for all participants included with your registration.

A gravel bike or lightweight mountain bike is highly recommended with the ability to carry water and supplies for up to 50 miles of riding on out-of-the-way backroads, gravel paths, and whatever else may find its way onto the course. The route has numerous big hills, gravel roads, and long lonely stretches of pavement. It has also proven to be a beautiful course that starts with the back tire in the Ohio River and ends with the front tire in Lake Erie.

Ride Tracking Service through Follow My Challenge USA

Due to the nature of this event and the size of the course we have decided to move forward on our plan to require ride tracking via a SPOT or Garmin InReach to the race for this year. We have worked with Follow My Challenge to provide the service for you. The tracking fees are included in registration. If you need a rental device, it will be an additional cost of $60.00. Riders MUST participate in the ride tracking service. Upon registering for the event, we will be contacting you prior to the event to make sure this is set up.

To offset some of the costs, Ashland Bike Company is working with Garmin to provide a Garmin InReach Mini at a significant discount. A Garmin InReach Mini 2 is normally $399.99. We are selling these through Ashland Bike Company for $350 exclusively for DWR participants. If you were on the fence about buying a satellite tracking device, now would be a great time to pick one up! You would then not have to pay anything outside of registration. On top of that, you’d have your very own InReach for other adventures in the future! Contact us at Ashland Bike Company to place your order.

Dirty Water Route 500km