Watch out mountain biking and road cycling, there's a new form of cycling that takes the best things about you and combining it into one ride. It’s called, gravel bike riding and it’s basically the Half Baked ice-cream flavor of bike riding.

man biking down gravel road

 

Gravel riding means riding on any unpaved surface or combination of dirt, grass, and gravel that is non-technical. This type of cycling is exploding with popularity right now due to the fact that these rides make you feel like Indiana Jones on two wheels. It’s a super fun way to explore the outdoors and take in the scenery.

With old wagon trails, forest roads, fire roads, rail trails, and canal paths there are plenty of amazing trails to explore. Just double check your ride routing as some sections of your trail may be meant for MTR Bikes compared to Gravel Bikes. The country is covered in bike trails, but their's a difference between Cyclocross vs. Gravel vs. Mountain Biking. Now, let's point out some trails that are the definition of SUNDAY FUNDAY.

 

7 BEST GRAVEL BIKE RIDING TRAILS AROUND THE COUNTRY

  1. George S. Mickelson Trail

    1. LOC- South Dakota
    2. LENGTH- 114 miles (Deadwood to Edgemont)
    3. TRAIL- Crushed stone and dirt.
    4. WOW FACTOR- Incredible views of the Black Hills, that takes you over converted railroad bridges and 4 tunnels.
  2. Old Deerfield (Franklin County)

    1. LOC- Massachusetts
    2. LENGTH- Optional lengths up to 180K
    3. TRAIL- Forest roads, jeep tracks, and agricultural fields.
    4. WOW FACTOR- Trails take you through western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont. Home to the annual D2R2 race (sadly not R2D2 race) but still awesome.
  3. Katy Trail

    1. LOC- Clinton, Missouri.
    2. LENGTH- 225
    3. TRAIL- Mostly flat with crushed limestone, forest, and field trails.
    4. WOW FACTOR- This trail takes you all the way across Missouri with sections running along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. This trail also takes you through wine country, with easy access to wineries from the trail. Talk about a grape trip. BOOM! Wine Puns!
  4. Cedar City Fire Roads

    1. LOC- Cedar City, Utah
    2. LENGTH- 100k
    3. TRAIL- Dirt Roads
    4. WOW FACTOR- Incredible views of Zion National Park and challenging ascents up Cedar Canyon. Check out Cedar City Fire Road 100k held in the beginning of August.
  5. Tushar Mountains

    1. LOC- Beaver, Utah
    2. LENGTH- 69 miles
    3. TRAIL- Dirt Roads climbing to 10,000 ft
    4. WOW FACTOR- Host of Crusher in the Tushar- annual gravel race with a pro/open field of riders. Ride throughout the Tushar Mountains and Fishlake National Forest. Gravel riding events are popping up all over the country and are an absolute blast.
  6. Carriage Trails

    1. LOC- Acadia National Park, Maine
    2. LENGTH- 45 miles (start at Eagle Lake near Bar Harbor)
    3. TRAIL- Well maintained carriage roads, built from 1913-1940.
    4. WOW FACTOR- Stone faced bridges, ponds, lakes, coastal scenery. These trails have it all.
  7. Lake Hodges

    1. LOC- North County San Diego, California
    2. LENGTH- 14 miles
    3. TRAIL- Single Track, Double Track, and Gravel. Good for beginners.
    4. WOW FACTOR- awesome trail surface and connects with many other gravel bike riding trails. This is a great area to explore for people looking for more San Diego gravel bike riding.

SUNGLASSES FOR YOUR BIKE RIDE

Having the right gear out on the trail can give you the confidence to push your limits. When it comes to eyewear, no compromises should be made whether you're looking for contrast-enhancing lens technology, frame structure, or color. I can't promise that you will never fall from your bike, but having the best gravel biking sunglasses will help prevent it. With conditions on trails always changing and most of your riding happening in the bright sun, it's good to have a quality pair shades.

sutro

Oakley Sutro In Matte Black with PRIZM Road

 

 

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