Charlottesville Bicycle Club

Gravel Routes

Gravel Routes

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This page includes a selection of gravel road routes in the region, with links to maps, cue sheets, and directions to the starting points.  The Charlottesville Bicycle Club does not sponsor gravel rides; these routes are included here for your information.

Roads:  All routes listed here have a mixture of unpaved and paved roads.  With very few exceptions, all are official state roads.  Very occasionally, private roads are used as part of a route where there is a historical understanding that cyclists may use them (still, take this with a grain of salt and always be sensitive to their private nature).  Please do not use any other private roads without permission of the owners.

The quality of the gravel sections may vary greatly, from fairly well-packed with few potholes to surfaces that aren’t much better than a fire trail.  

You can expect plenty of potholes as well as heavy, unstable gravel and/or mud on some sections.  Weather and temperature can obviously affect these roads as well.

Equipment:  Road bikes are not recommended on any of these routes.  A sturdy hybrid, touring, or gravel bike with 32 mm tires or greater is adequate for most of these, but for those with steep climbs and in particular steep, technical descents a mountain bike with at least front suspension is recommended.  Whatever the type of bike, mountain bike gearing or something close will be a big help getting over the often steep hills.

Route List:  The routes listed below are organized by route name.  Detailed locations are shown on the web page for each specific route.

Gravel Routes

Click on Route Name for full information about the route.  Distance is in miles. Climb data is in feet per mile.

Starting PointRoute NameDistance (mi)Climb (fpm)
Beaver Creek Reservoir ParkWhite Hall – Millington3085
Beech GroveReeds Gap – Tyro23140
Brightwood RuritanCircuit Of Mitchells Mountain3280
Free Union SchoolFree Union – Mountfair21105
Free Union SchoolFree Union – Mountfair26105
Greenwood Community CenterJarmans Gap – Afton24110
Grit Coffee – CrozetBatesville Region – Crozet1890
Grit Coffee – CrozetBatesville Region – Crozet2795
Ivy Elementary SchoolOwensville – Millington1895
Ivy Elementary SchoolOwensville – Millington2695
Mutton HollowSwift Run – Kinderhook18110
Porters Simpson ParkPorters – Simpson Park2575
Rivanna ReservoirRivanna Reservoir – Free Union2075
Rivanna ReservoirRivanna Reservoir – Free Union2975
Riverheads High SchoolGreenville Multiloop3480
Rockfish RiverHelm Mountain23105
Schuyler NorthGreen Mountain – Schuyler27100
Schuyler SouthMount Doom – Three Creeks2795
Shady GroveFlat Top Mountain15200
Shady GroveFlat Top Mountain20200
South GardenHeards Mountain18105
South GardenHeards Mountain28105
Stony Point SchoolStony Point – Cismont2085
Stony Point SchoolStony Point – Cismont2685
Veteran’s ParkRapidan – Clarks Mountain3180
Walton Middle SchoolWalton School Loop25100
Woods MillWoods Mill – Nellysford25120
Yancy MillsBatesville Region24105