Rural Minnesota is home to quite a few long standing gravel road races and in recent years many new events have started to become a yearly tradition with cyclists. With varying terrain, minimum maintenance roads, elevation changes, great rural scenery and unpredictable weather in the Spring and Fall, these events are sure to be fun and challenging. Some are free while others require registration fees. Almost all are unsupported requiring the participants to be their own repair and support crew.
This year's calendar will include all types of gravel races and rides from around the state and western Wisconsin. Some of these have registration cutoff dates, have a rider cap, or more information and registration details that are yet to be announced. Below is a list of all of the gravel events in Minnesota that I'm aware of in chronological order. I will continue to update and add events to this post as they become available. If you are a race or event organizer and would like your event listed here and on my 2021 Minnesota Bike Tours, Rides, Races & Events Schedule, please send me an e-mail.
*Due to the Covid-19 outbreak some events may have been cancelled, postponed or rescheduled.
February
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-February 4, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-February 11, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-February 18, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-February 25, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Hugo Gravel Group - Fatbike Gravel road ride-February 27, 2021
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Hugo, MN
24 miles
March
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-March 4, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-March 11, 2021
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Hugo, MN
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-March 18, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Hugo Gravel Group ride-March 20, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Hugo Gravel Group ride-March 27, 2021
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Hugo, MN
Wednesday Evening Gravel Ride at Giant's Ridge-March 31, 2021
Giants Ridge
Biwabik, MN
19 miles
April
Brainerd Family YMCA GRAVEL GRINDERS- Gravel Clinic 101-April 1, 2021
Brainerd Family YMCA
Brainerd, MN
Thursday Night Gravel Rides-April 1, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Hugo Gravel goes WestSide-April 3, 2021
Veterans Memorial Park
Maple Plain, MN
Hugo Gravel ride-April 3, 2021
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Hugo, MN
Hugo Gravel ride-April 10, 2021
Mississippi National Golf Course
Red Wing, MN
Postcard Registration open November 27-December 31, 2020
150 racer cap
Facebook Page
Red Wing, MN
Postcard Registration open November 27-December 31, 2020
150 racer cap
Facebook Page
Hugo Gravel ride-April 17, 2021
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Hugo, MN
Earth Day Gravel Grinder-April 24-May 2, 2021
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Hugo, MN
May
Alexis Bailly Vineyard
Hastings, MN
Hugo Gravel Westside ride-May 8, 2021
Location TBD
NW Metro, MN
100 km
Gravel & Schnitzel Ride-May 9, 2021
Location TBD
Minnesota
180 miles
Hugo Gravel ride-May 22, 2021
Grand Marais, MN
110, 54, 20 miles
Wired Rooster-Saxon Hall gravel rides-May 30, 2021
Brownsville, MN
48.6, 40.3, 35.8, 24, 13.2 miles
June
SFBR Tuesday Night Gravel Series-June 1, 2021
Fernson Brewing Company
Sioux Falls, SD
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-June 1, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Lake Park, MN
205 km, 105 km, 55 km
Spring Valley 100-June 5, 2021
Fernson Brewing Company
Sioux Falls, SD
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-June 8, 2021
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Hugo, MN
100+ miles
Waukon 100-June 12, 2021
Waukon City Park
Waukon, IA
100 km
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-June 15, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Buffalo Days Gravel Road Bike Tour-June 19, 2021
Gary Mattson Dog Park
Buffalo, MN
50, 21 miles
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-June 22, 2021
Freedhem 76 Gravel Ride-June 27, 2021
Freedhem Store
Little Falls, MN
76, 46 miles
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-June 29, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
July
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-July 6, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Zumbro Gravel Challenge-July 10, 2021
Zumbrota, MN
200 km
Zumbro Gravel Challenge-July 10, 2021
Zumbrota, MN
135 km
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-July 13, 2021
Bluenose Gopher Public House
Granite Falls, MN
50 miles
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-July 27, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Tour de SAVE - Northfield-July 31, 2021
Sechler Park
Northfield, MN
50, 25, 7 miles, 55, 30 miles gravel
August
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-August 3, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-August 10, 2021
Gary, SD to Hager City, WI
480, 240 miles
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-August 17, 2021
Stillwater, MN
60, 40, 25, 10, 5 miles
80 mile St. Croix Gravel Challenge
3rd Friday Gravel Ride!-August 20, 2021
Two Harbors/Finland, MN
330, 120 miles
Miesville FiftySix Gravel Bike Ride-August 29, 2021
LocAle Brewery
Mankato, MN
100 mile & 100 km paved, 100 km gravel
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
September
Great Cycle Gravel Challenge-September 4, 2021
Kasson, MN
62.6 miles
Sunrise Century Ver 1.1-September 4, 2021
Hugo, MN
106, 70, 45 miles
Skullsplitter 2.0-September 5, 2021
Free Range Exchange
Hokah, MN
59 miles
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-September 7, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
MnGravel160-September 10-12, 2021
Willmar, MN
160 miles
I came in like a cannon falls-September 11, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
3rd Friday Gravel Ride!-September 17, 2021
Sioux Falls Bicycle Company
Sioux Falls, SD
Cuyuna Class 5 Century-September 19, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Chippewa Medicine Wheel Gravel Ride-September 25, 2021
Two Harbors, MN
100, 55, 20 miles
Volga City Gravel Race-September 25, 2021
Jack Ruhr Field
Miesville, MN
85 miles
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-September 28, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
October
Dirt Bag Gravel Grinder-October 2, 2021
Clearwater Sportsman's Park
Clearwater, MN
100, 60, 35 miles
Dirty Squirrel Gravel Grind-October 2, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Extreme North Dakota Country Hills Invoking Plaudits (END-CHIP)-October 9, 2021
Lanesboro, MN
50, 24 miles
Online Registration opens June 20, 2021
Shakopee Gravel Adventure-October 9, 2021
City Parking Lot
Shakopee, MN
100 km
Tuesday Night Gravel Rides-October 12, 2021
Michael's Cycles-Prior Lake
Prior Lake, MN
25-35 miles
Gravel West-October 17, 2021
Webster, WI
100+ miles
Gritty Goose - Return of the Honking Dead-October 30, 2021
Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park
Monticello, MN
70, 50, 30 miles
Rosemount - Miesville Gravel-October 30, 2021
Just Food Coop
Northfield, MN
53 miles
