Returning in 2027
Gravel Day
Stay tuned for Gravel Day 2027 details!
Gravel Day offers unique adventures on the gravel roads and outdoor trails of beautiful southeast Ohio. Participants can select from looped gravel cycling routes, mountain biking routes, or the Trail Run/Hike!
NEW Gravel Day Experience
New Mountain Biking Routes
Two new mountain biking routes join Gravel Day, where Riders will experience the Baileys Trail System of world-class machine-built mountain biking trails including a mix of IMBA-rated green (“easy”) and blue (“more difficult”) trails.
calling runners and hikers
Trail Run/Hike
The Trail Run/Hike offers a 3.5 mile looped route through the picturesque property of Snow Fork Event Center! Participants may opt to challenge themselves to both ride and run/hike at Gravel Day. For this option, Riders will first complete their selected cycling route then enter the Trail Run/Hike course, which participants can complete multiple times.
Gravel Day 2026 Routes
Gravel Nelsonville Loop Route
11 Miles
Want to try out gravel riding? This introductory loop route includes a mix of paved and gravel roads but will challenge you with an elevation gain of 900 feet. Riders should be sure to properly prepare prior to Gravel Day to ensure a great experience!
Gravel Nelsonville Loop Route
25 Miles
Winding through the hills of Athens County, this loop route is an exciting challenge for all Riders, with a total elevation gain of over 1,600 feet. Riders should be sure to properly prepare prior to Gravel Day to ensure a great experience!
Gravel Nelsonville Loop Route
48 Miles
Riding through the hills of Athens County, this loop route is a true adventure and a very challenging option for experienced Riders. This ride will feature multiple sections of climbing with a total elevation gain of over 4,200 feet.
Mountain Biking Nelsonville Loop Route
10 Miles
Experience a mix of road and trail on this 10-mile route, featuring approximately 5 miles on the world-class machine-built trails of the Baileys Trail System. You should expect around 1,000 feet of climbing on a mix of IMBA-rated green (“easy”) and blue (“more difficult”) trails.
Mountain Biking Nelsonville Loop Route
24 Miles
This route is full of adventure with nearly 2,500 feet of climbing on IMBA-rated green (“easy”) and blue (“more difficult”) machine-built trails. While the included trails aren’t exceptionally technical, this route will still provide a big challenge for more experienced mountain bikers.
Trail Run/Hike
3.5 Miles
Gravel Day’s run/hike will offer a 3.5-mile looped route through the beautiful property of Snow Fork Event Center, with runners and hikers able to complete the route as many times as desired during the course open hours of 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
resources
gravel day event handbook
This comprehensive resource includes safety guidelines, training tips, and packing lists to prepare for Gravel Day. Participant schedules are outlined for Friday evening and Saturday routes, plus important information for all Gravel Day Riders and Runners/Hikers to know.
resources
Volunteer opportunities
Gravel Day Weekend
community gathering
Pelotonia hosts a Friday Night Community Gathering at Snow Fork Event Center the night before Gravel Day. Join us for an evening of music, food, drinks, and s’mores by the campfire as we kick off the weekend together.
Gravel Day Weekend
Camping
Gravel Day participants have the option to camp on-site the night before. Registered campers may enjoy on-site camping at Snow Fork Event Center, with sites available for tents, cars, RVs, and motorhomes.
Gravel Day FAQs
Dates and details for Gravel Day 2027 are coming soon!
The minimum age to ride or volunteer is 14; however, any age can participate in Pelotonia as a Challenger.
Yes! Riders can participate in both Ride Weekend and Gravel Day. Riders’ fundraising commitment will increase based on the Ride Weekend route that they select. High Rollers ($5,000 fundraising minimum) will be able to participate in both events at no additional commitment increase.
Some more current road bikes (likely sold in the last five years) allow for more robust tires, which is key for safety and the best experience on gravel routes at Gravel Day. The minimum tire width we would recommend is 35mm. Hardtail mountain bikes would also be a great option that would allow for better handling, more robust tires and a really fun experience.
For the new mountain bike routes, we recommend using a mountain bike with off-road tires. These routes aren’t a good fit for traditional road bikes, even if you’ve added slightly wider tires.
On Gravel Day, e-bikes will be allowed on gravel cycling routes ONLY, and are not permitted on the mountain biking routes utilizing the Baileys Trail System. Please note, that on the gravel cycling routes, no fully motorized bikes which use a throttle are allowed and all electric bikes must have a freely operable pedaling system: rear wheel drive train of pedals, crank, chain, and gear system.
Please note that Pelotonia reserves the right to remove any non-compliant e-bikes from Gravel Day routes.
Seating is limited at the Friday Night Community Gathering, so we encourage all attendees to bring their own chair for the evening. Come ready to relax, enjoy the campfire, and soak in the Gravel Day experience!
Start or Join a Team
Interested in starting or joining a Peloton? Contact the Community Engagement team at pelotonia@pelotonia.org.
