Every Gravel Ride Worth Putting on Your 2026 Calendar

If you've ever gone down the rabbit hole of "what gravel events can I actually enter," you know how scattered the information is. Some races are also rides. Some rides feel like races. Some require lotteries. Some sell out in hours. A few are so obscure you only find out about them through someone's Strava post three days after registration closes.

This is the guide we wish existed. One place. All the major events. Organized so you can actually plan a season around them.

We've split this into two guides: this one covers participation events and gran fondos — rides where your goal is finishing, experiencing, and maybe suffering on some world-class terrain. The companion guide covers pro gravel racing — the UCI World Series, Life Time Grand Prix, and the events where the fastest people on dirt bikes show up.

How to Use This Guide

Gravel events fall into a few categories worth understanding before you register:

Gran Fondo — timed or non-competitive long rides, usually with multiple distance options, well-stocked aid stations, and a finisher's experience over a race atmosphere.

Mass Participation Race — you get a bib, there's a start gun, and someone wins. But the field is mixed and 90% of people are there to finish, not podium.

UCI Qualifier — a race where top finishers in age categories earn entry to the UCI Gravel World Championships. Open to amateurs.

Bucket List / Destination Event — the kind of event you plan a trip around. Usually in a spectacular location. Often sells out or requires a lottery.

NORTH AMERICA

The Bucket List Tier

Unbound Gravel — Late May/Early June | Emporia, Kansas The one. The 20th anniversary edition in 2026. Distances from 25 miles to the XL 350-mile ultra, but the 200-mile race on the Flint Hills dirt is what people mean when they say "Unbound." Sharp flint rocks, rolling exposed terrain, and 12+ hours of self-sufficiency. Lottery-only — entries open November 1, close November 15, winners notified November 21. If gravel has a World Cup, this is it.

SBT GRVL — August | Steamboat Springs, Colorado Back to normal in 2026 after two years of course drama. Four distances — Black (142mi / 9,000ft), Blue (100mi), Red (60mi), Green (37mi). The Black course is the target for serious racers; the others give you the full Steamboat experience. Prize purse over $28,000 for competitive categories. One of America's best gravel towns as a backdrop.

Gravel Worlds — August | Lincoln, Nebraska 17th edition in 2026. The Pirate Cycling League puts on one of the most community-driven events in the sport. Distances from the 50k Buccaneer up to the 300-mile Long Voyage. The flagship 150-mile course covers over 10,000 feet through rural Nebraska farmland. Equal parts race and celebration.

Rebecca's Private Idaho — September | Sun Valley, Idaho Created by pro cyclist Rebecca Rusch, this event draws both competitive riders and adventurers to the mountains of central Idaho. Multiple distances through high-altitude terrain. Strong women's culture and community feel.

Mid South — March | Stillwater, Oklahoma The spiritual season opener of American gravel. 13th edition in 2026. The red clay of Oklahoma defines this race — dry conditions produce fast, hard-packed roads; wet conditions produce something closer to a survival event. 50-mile and 100-mile options. The race's character comes entirely from what the weather decides to do.

Valley of Tears — March | Turkey, Texas A $45,000 cash payout across top finishers makes this one of the most lucrative independent gravel events in the country. Two-format weekend: a gravel criterium and a 93-mile race. Growing fast.

The Circuit Events

Belgian Waffle Ride — Quad-Tripel Crown Four events, one series. BWR was built in the spirit of the Belgian Classics — long, technical, unforgiving. The four Quad-Tripel Crown events:

• BWR Arizona — February, Cave Creek/McDowell region (104mi / 6,600ft)
• BWR California — April, San Diego region
• BWR Utah — May, Cedar City (84mi / 9,843ft)
• BWR Montana — June

Series standings use your best three of four results. Open to all, competitive for those who want it.

Life Time Grand Prix Events (Open Amateur Divisions) The Grand Prix itself is invitation-only for elites, but many events have open amateur fields running alongside. Key gravel races in the 2026 series include Unbound Gravel, SBT GRVL, and Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race (April, Monterey, California).

Grasshopper Adventure Series — January–May | Northern California The longest-running gravel series in the US, launched in 1998. Six to eight events through California's coastal hills and wine country. Lower-key, local flavor, legitimately hard. Prize purse expanded in 2026 with top five sharing $2,500 per event.

Gravel Locos — Spring | Hico, Texas (157mi / 7,884ft) One of the highest-rated events in the US by difficulty-to-obscurity ratio. Big Texas terrain, competitive field, strong community.

Le Grand du Nord — Summer | Grand Marais, Minnesota (110mi / 5,000ft) North Shore of Lake Superior as a backdrop. One of the upper Midwest's standout events.

Almanzo 100 — Spring | Spring Valley, Minnesota (100mi / 6,500ft) Classic Midwest gravel. Long-established, rider-favorite event.

Oregon Trail Gravel — July | Bend, Oregon Five-stage event over five days. Not a one-day race — a stage race adventure through the Cascades. Fully equipped campsites, campfires, and shared suffering across 350 miles total. One of the most unique formats in North American gravel.

Regional Standouts

RADL GRVL — January | Adelaide, Australia Technically in the southern hemisphere section, but run by the same organization as SBT GRVL — GRVL Events. Partnered with the Tour Down Under. 112km course drawing North American pros to an Australian summer race. The crossover between WorldTour atmosphere and gravel culture is the whole pitch.

Appalachian Journey — April | Floyd, Virginia Unique format: two-person teams only. No solo entries. The Blue Ridge Mountains terrain covers over 1,000 feet of climbing per 10 miles, with technical descents. East Coast gravel done right.

Crystal Bear — Summer | Laona, WI to Crystal Falls, MI (192mi / 8,000ft) Point-to-point ultra across the upper Midwest. For riders who find 200 miles reasonable.

EUROPE

The Bucket List Tier

The Traka 360 — May | Girona, Spain Europe's marquee gravel event. Three distances: 100km, 200km, and the 360km route that's become a genuine pro target. Based in Girona — the cycling capital of Europe — with challenging Catalan terrain. The 360 is a full-day (and often night) effort. Also available: The Traka 200 for those not ready for the longer route. Sells out. Register early.

Dirty Reiver — April 24-26 | Kielder Forest, UK 10th edition in 2026. The UK's premier gravel event, held in Kielder and Wark Forest on the England-Scotland border. Named after the Border Reivers — medieval raiders who crossed these same tracks. Three distances: 65km, 130km, 200km, all nearly 100% off-road. Already sold out for 2026 — get on the 2027 waitlist now.

The Rift — July | Iceland 206km across Iceland's volcanic continental rift. Brutal, cold, windy, and one of the most visually spectacular events on earth. Solo event now, no longer part of a series — which only adds to its mystique. Bucket list defined.

Atlas Mountain Race — Winter/Spring | Morocco Ultra-distance bikepacking race through the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Not a gran fondo — this is a self-supported race across serious terrain. One of the most adventurous events in the global calendar.

European Circuit

Santa Vall — February | Spain The season-opening two-day event now owned by The Traka organization. Sets the tone for the European gravel calendar. Strong pro field alongside open amateur categories.

Gravel Desert — April | Huesca, Spain UCI qualifier. Livestreamed. Pyrenean foothills terrain that lives up to the name.

The Gralloch — Spring | Scotland Second edition in 2026. Comparable to the Dirty Reiver in terrain — Scottish Borders riding at its finest. Growing fast.

Dalby Grit — June 19-21 | Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, UK Second edition in 2026 after a strong debut. 110km in the North York Moors National Park. Dubbed England's only race of this distance. "Champagne gravel" — well-surfaced, fast, technical. Multiple categories and a proper event village.

Wörthersee Gravel Race — April 12 | Velden, Austria UCI World Series qualifier and one of the spring's most scenic events. Carinthian lake district backdrop. High-level competition in a stunning setting.

Giro Sardegna Gravel — Spring | Siniscola, Sardinia, Italy (81mi / 8,530ft) Sardinia's rugged interior. Mediterranean island terrain that's completely unlike anything else in the European calendar.

Turnhout Gravel — Spring | Belgium UCI World Series qualifier. Runs during the cobbled Classics season — you can time this alongside the pro road calendar for a full Belgium trip.

Gran Fondo Tre Cime di Lavaredo — Summer | Dolomites, Italy 133km through the Dolomites in the shadow of the Tre Cime. Newly anchored as a UCI World Series qualifier. One of the most visually dramatic routes in European gravel.

Smugglers Path Gravel Ride — May 30 | Hamont-Achel, Belgium-Netherlands border 7th edition in 2026. The route retraces historic smuggling routes on narrow dirt roads and forest tracks across the Belgian-Dutch border. Festival atmosphere, goody bag, espresso at the finish. Pure European gravel culture.

Gravel Rallye Rhine Valley — May | Kaiserstuhl, Germany Part of the Gravel Rallye Series. Volcanic mini-mountains between the Black Forest and Vosges. Vineyard terraces, forest gravel, sunken lanes, and flat Rhine-side sections. Up to 350 participants and growing.

Grinduro Germany — Summer | Hellenthal, Eifel, Germany (62mi / 6,562ft) Grinduro format: timed segments within a non-racing ride. Best of both worlds — adventure feel with competitive segments. Eifel region terrain.

Hansens Cykelløb — Summer | Jægerspris, Denmark 152km through fjords, forests, and fields of Middle Zealand. Starts at the historic Hansens Dairy. Denmark's oldest and most characterful gravel event.

Gravel Blinduro — September 5-6 | Czech Canada (Bohemia) Open to all. Drop bars required, helmet required, good mood required. "Shaved or hairy, they don't care." Czech backcountry terrain in one of Europe's most underrated cycling regions.

Falling Leaves Lahti — Autumn | Finland Part of the Nordic Gravel Series and UCI World Series qualifier. Also qualification pathway for the 2027 Gravel European Championships in Lahti. Finnish forest gravel in autumn colors.

Gravel Grit'n Grind — Summer | Sweden Nordic Gravel Series event and UCI qualifier. Swedish forest terrain under new organization by Breakaway.cc for 2026.

OCEANIA & ASIA

RADL GRVL — January | Adelaide, Australia Already listed above but worth repeating: the Tour Down Under weekend as a gravel event wrapper is a genuinely unique concept. 112km, summer heat, WorldTour atmosphere. Register well in advance.

UCI Gravel World Championships — October 10-11 | Nannup, Western Australia The worlds come to Australia for the first time in 2026. Short, steep climbs and significant vertical meters in Western Australia's Margaret River region. Open to age-group qualifiers from UCI World Series events worldwide.

Gravel and Tar Classic — Spring | Manawatu-Whanganui, New Zealand (99mi / 6,562ft) One of New Zealand's top-rated gravel events. Rolling terrain, quality organization, strong local community.

AFRICA

Cape Epic (gravel/MTB crossover) — March | South Africa Two-rider teams, 700km over eight days. The world's most famous mountain bike stage race also draws serious gravel athletes, particularly as the disciplines blend. One of the toughest week-long events in endurance cycling.

Gravel Burn — October | South Africa Second edition in 2026. 800km over seven days. If Cape Epic isn't enough.

The Ceder — January | South Africa UCI World Series season opener. The global gravel calendar now starts in South Africa before moving to Europe.

REGISTRATION TIPS & QUICK GUIDE

Events that require lotteries or sell out fast:

• Unbound Gravel 200 — lottery November 1-15
• Dirty Reiver — already sold out for 2026
• The Traka 360 — sells out months ahead
• Amstel Gold Race Toerversie (road, but gravel adjacent) — lottery

Events with open rolling registration (check event sites for current status): Most European UCI qualifier events and regional gran fondos keep registration open until capacity.

How to think about building a season: Pick one anchor event — your A race or bucket list ride — then fill in 2-3 supporting events in the same region or build cycle. The European spring (March-June) is the most efficient for travel: you can combine Girona-based events (Traka, Gravel Desert) with Belgian/Dutch events in one trip. The US summer (May-August) clusters the biggest American events within driving or short-flight distance.