The best US gran fondos, gravel races and bucket-list rides: distance, climbing and how to enter

The best-known mass rides in the US are Unbound Gravel (Emporia, Kansas, late May or early June, 200 miles of gravel), the Leadville Trail 100 MTB (Colorado, August, about 100 miles starting above 10,000 ft), the Triple Bypass (Colorado, July, 121 miles over three passes), the Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb (New Hampshire, August, 7.6 miles at 12%) and RAGBRAI (a week across Iowa in July). For a classic road gran fondo, Levi’s GranFondo in Sonoma County is the reference. Most fill up fast, several use lotteries, and all of them reward months of training.

Distances, climbing and dates were checked on each event’s official site on October 19, 2026. Where the event links its own course file on Ride with GPS, the climbing figure comes from that file. Routes change a little every year: check the athlete guide for your edition.

The big rides at a glance

Sources: official sites and course files of each event (links below). Climbing figures from Ride with GPS course files are for the 2026 routes.

Unbound Gravel

The world’s best-known gravel race starts and finishes in Emporia, Kansas, on the rocky roads of the Flint Hills. In 2026 the main day was May 30; the 2027 edition runs June 3-6, with the 200 and 100 on June 5.

• Distances (2026 course files): 25, 50, 100 (106.2 mi, 3,894 ft), 200 (206.9 mi, 8,345 ft) and XL (356.4 mi, 13,986 ft). According to the course files, about 88-91% of the 100, 200 and XL routes is unpaved, and the course isn’t marked: you navigate with a GPS file.
• Time limits: in 2026 the 200 started at 6:30 a.m. and the finish closed at 3 a.m., about 20.5 hours. The XL started at 3 p.m. the day before and had 36 hours.
• Support: three checkpoints on the 200 where your crew can meet you, plus water-only oases. Expect long stretches with nothing.
• Getting in: a lottery, which opened November 1 at 10 a.m. Central for 2027.

Leadville Trail 100 MTB

The “Race Across the Sky” is an out-and-back mountain bike race from Leadville, Colorado, starting at 10,152 ft (3,094 m). The usual course is 105.3 miles with 12,304 ft of climbing and tops out near Columbine Mine above 12,000 ft; in 2026 a wildfire reroute cut it to 101.3 miles and 9,897 ft. You have roughly 12 hours, with intermediate cutoffs at Twin Lakes.

• When: mid-August (August 15 in 2026; the official site lists August 14, 2027).
• Getting in: a lottery (open December 1-15, 2026, results January 6, 2027) or a qualifying race in the Leadville series. The 2026 entry was $525.
• Nearby climb: Independence Pass, over the Continental Divide at 12,096 ft between Twin Lakes and Aspen, makes a good acclimatization ride.

Levi’s GranFondo

Former pro Levi Leipheimer’s ride is the best-known road gran fondo in the US, through the vineyards and coast roads of Sonoma County, from the Town Green in Windsor, California. The next edition is April 24, 2027. Routes go from the free 8-mile Family Fondo through the Piccolo, Medio (with Coleman Valley Road) and Gran to the Growler, with the longest at 119 miles and the Growler including the Kruse Ranch dirt road. Riders under 18 ride free. The site doesn’t publish climbing figures per route, so check the course files when they’re released.

Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

Possibly the hardest hill climb in the US: 7.6 miles at an average 12%, with long sections of 18% and a 22% wall in the last 50 yards to the 6,288 ft (1,917 m) summit of the highest peak in the Northeast, known for brutal weather. In 2026 it ran on August 15. Registration on BikeReg opens January 15 (January 1 for special entrants), helmets are mandatory, and riding down is prohibited: arrange a car to bring you back. Fit the lowest gears you can. See the climb’s profile and stats on our Mount Washington climb page and work out your gearing with the best gear ratio for climbing.

Triple Bypass

A one-day Colorado classic from Evergreen to Avon over Juniper, Loveland and Vail passes: 121.0 miles and 10,476 ft on the 2026 course, with Loveland Pass topping out near the Continental Divide. It runs in July (July 11 in 2026, which sold out). The Double Bypass starts in Empire and covers 83.7 miles and 6,229 ft over Loveland and Vail. If you’re coming from sea level, arrive a few days early: the altitude hurts more than the climbing. Colorado’s other bucket-list climbs, Mount Evans (Mount Blue Sky) and Pikes Peak, are both above 14,000 ft.

RAGBRAI

The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa is a week-long tour across Iowa, west to east, from the Missouri River to the Mississippi, with overnight stops in host towns. RAGBRAI says routes have averaged 67 miles a day and 468 miles a week, and that none is ever totally flat. The 2026 ride ran July 18-25; the 2027 edition (RAGBRAI LIV) is July 24-31. It’s a party as much as a ride, with an optional century loop on one day.

Hotter’N Hell Hundred

A Texas tradition in Wichita Falls at the end of August (August 29, 2026), sold on “100 miles in 100 degrees”. The course is flat, 100.8 miles with only 1,849 ft of climbing, so the challenge is heat and wind. There are also 75-mile, 100K, 50-mile, 25-mile and 10K routes, and the 100-mile route passes a checkpoint known as Hell’s Gate.

Belgian Waffle Ride California

The BWR mixes pavement with dirt, sand and rocky sectors in San Diego County. In 2026 (May 2-3, Del Mar) the Waffle route was 107 miles and 7,367 ft, the Wafer 64 miles and 3,832 ft, and the Wanna 30 miles and 2,046 ft. The 2027 edition is May 1-2.

How to prepare for a big ride

Most of these take a solid 3-6 months of focused training if you already ride regularly.

1. Pick a realistic goal. If you’ve never ridden 100 miles, start with a shorter option: almost every event has one. Our first century training plan gets you there in 8 weeks.
2. Build your long ride gradually until it covers 70-80% of the event distance, and include climbs as long as the ones you’ll face. For mountain events, read how to prepare for your first big climb and how to climb faster.
3. Know your power. Test your FTP and use the climb time calculator or the climb times by W/kg chart (watts per kilogram of body weight) to plan your pacing.
4. Gear for the climbs. For Mt. Washington or Leadville, fit the lowest gears your drivetrain allows. Check gear ratios in meters of development to compare setups.
5. Practice eating and drinking. On rides over 2.5 hours, aim for up to 90 g of carbs per hour; see what to eat on a long ride.
6. Plan for altitude and heat. Leadville starts above 10,000 ft and the Triple Bypass crosses three high passes, while Hotter’N Hell is sold on 100 °F (38 °C) heat. Arrive early and test your hydration.

Want more big climbs to train on? Browse all our US and European climbs, including Haleakalā, with nearly 10,000 ft of climbing in one go.

Updated October 19, 2026 ·Report an error on this page