Explore the best cycling and bike touring routes in Raleigh, from scenic greenways to wooded trails and smooth city rides—perfect for a vacation on two wheels.
WHAT ARE THE TOP GRAVEL CYCLING DESTINATIONS?
Ready to escape the tarmac? Gravel cycling has exploded in popularity, offering riders a chance to explore wild landscapes far from traffic and noise. This guide breaks down the top gravel cycling destinations worldwide—chosen for their ride quality, scenery, route variety, and local cycling culture. Whether you're chasing remote backcountry adventures or smooth rolling fire roads, these places belong on every gravel rider’s bucket list.
North America’s gravel cycling meccas
From Flint Hills to mountain passes
The United States is the spiritual home of modern gravel riding. Kansas’s Flint Hills, home of the legendary Unbound Gravel (formerly Dirty Kanza), feature endless miles of chunky limestone and wild prairie. It's where adventure racing meets raw endurance.
Colorado’s high-altitude gravel near Steamboat Springs and Aspen mixes alpine beauty with serious elevation gains. For a smoother West Coast vibe, California’s Lost Sierra and Santa Cruz offer dense forests, river crossings, and well-maintained dirt loops. Canada also delivers: British Columbia’s Okanagan region offers vineyard views, hardpack roads, and minimal car traffic.
Must-ride North American gravel zones
Emporia, Kansas – Endless Flint Hills gravel and iconic races
Steamboat Springs, Colorado – High-altitude adventure and SBT GRVL
Ashland, Oregon – Forest gravel with panoramic mountain views
Okanagan Valley, BC – Smooth gravel with a wine-country backdrop
Tucson, Arizona – Desert gravel, cacti, and fast winter riding
With races, community events, and GPS route libraries everywhere, North America is still leading the global gravel boom.
Europe’s iconic gravel playgrounds
Where old-world charm meets dirt road freedom
Europe’s gravel scene is booming, and for good reason. Riders can roll through medieval towns, vineyards, and alpine passes—often on centuries-old carriage roads. Tuscany's white gravel (strade bianche) around Siena is legendary, made famous by the Spring Classic of the same name. It's fast, scenic, and deeply cultural.
Spain’s Girona region is a pro cyclist haven with buttery gravel, minimal traffic, and endless backroads into the Pyrenees. In Scandinavia, Sweden and Norway offer wild, car-free forest tracks and epic fjord views, especially during summer months when the sun barely sets.
Top Euro gravel destinations
Tuscany, Italy – Iconic white gravel roads and historic villages
Girona, Spain – Mediterranean sunshine, endless gravel loops
Slovenia – Julian Alps gravel and lake-studded scenery
Lapland, Finland – Remote wilderness rides under midnight sun
Belgium’s Ardennes – Short, sharp climbs and cobbled dirt paths
European gravel riding combines nature with culture, letting you chase elevation and espresso in the same day.
Adventure gravel in South America and beyond
Going off the grid in raw landscapes
For those craving epic solitude and untamed terrain, South America offers some of the most dramatic gravel rides on Earth. Argentina’s Patagonia region features volcanic gravel, wind-swept steppe, and glacier-fed lakes. The Carretera Austral in Chile is a gravel pilgrimage—1,200 km of wild road winding through fjords, rainforests, and snow-capped peaks.
Colombia’s coffee regions and Andean valleys also boast quiet dirt roads with tropical vistas and warm local hospitality. Meanwhile, in Oceania, New Zealand’s South Island is a gravel dream—riders can tackle alpine passes, riverbeds, and remote sheep stations with views straight out of fantasy.
Far-flung gravel gems
Carretera Austral, Chile – Multi-day gravel epic through Patagonia
Mendoza, Argentina – Wine country gravel at altitude
Antioquia, Colombia – Tropical climbs and coffee region roads
South Island, New Zealand – Jaw-dropping trails through remote valleys
Namibia – Desert gravel, wildlife, and lunar landscapes
If you’re chasing remote exploration and raw adventure, these destinations deliver true escapism with every pedal stroke.
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