2015 Minnesota Gravel Grinders

Rural Minnesota is home to quite a few long standing gravel road races and with the growing popularity of the sport, rides to introduce those new to gravel are beginning to pop up, too.  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.  Almost all of them are free, but unsupported requiring the participants to be their own repair and support crew.

This season's calendar will include all types of  gravel races and rides from around the state.  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 2015 Minnesota Bike Tours, Rides, Races & Events Schedule, please send me an e-mail. 

Northern Exposure Ride V1-January 17, 2015

Solemn Lutheran Church

Hawley, MN

Approximately 30 miles 

Southern Exposure v1-February 21, 2015

Solem Lutheran Church
Hawley, MN
30-35 miles 

Lakeville-Milltown-Lakeville-March 28, 2015
Lakeville, MN
Approx. 80 miles 
100 rider cap 

Dirty Girl Women's Gravel Ride-April 11, 2015

Jack Ruhr Stadium
Miesville, MN
Approximately 50 miles 

Ragnarök 105-April 11, 2015

Red Wing, MN
105 miles
105 rider cap
Registration closed 

Mammoth Gravel Classic-April 18, 2015
Cyclova XC
St. Croix Falls, WI
100, 70, 35 miles 
Facebook Event Page 

Miesville FiftySix-April 19, 2015
Jack Ruhr Stadium
Miesville, MN
56 miles
250 rider cap
Postcard registration
Facebook Page 

Dickie Scramble-April 25, 2014
Elgin, MN
Approximately 75 miles
Registration open to day of race.
Facebook Event Page  

Penn Cycle Group Ride Tailgate Series-Gravel Ride-May 3, 2015
Caron Park
Faribault, MN
56 miles 

Alexander 380-May 15, 2015
Spring Valley, MN
380 miles
Postcard registration is now open

Almanzo 100/Royal 162-May 16, 2015
Spring Valley, MN 
162, 100 miles
Postcard registration is now open 

Driftless Dessertion 2015-June 6-7, 2015
Cyclocarbon
Rochester, MN 

Box of Frogs-June 7, 2015
Mississippi Riverfront
St. Paul, MN
60+ miles
Facebook Page 

Westside Dirty Benjamin-June 13, 2015
Chaska, MN
100 miles
Registration  

Woodticker 200-June 13, 2015
HLS Parish Center
Hawley, MN
200 miles 
Facebook Event Page  

RiotGRRRaveL-June 20, 2015
Hastings, MN
50, 30 miles 
Online Registration
200 rider cap 

Innuendo Gravel Grinder-June 21, 2015
Climax, MN
200, 100 miles 

French Lake Gravelfest-July 18, 2015
French Lake, MN
Facebook page 

Dirty Lemming-July 25, 2015
Watertown, MN
100 mile, 100 km
Postcard registration opens April 1st
100 rider cap 

Gritty Goose Gravel Grinder-August 1, 2015
Monticello, MN
65-70 miles
Online Registration   

Tour de Save-August 1, 2015
Riverside Park
Northfield, MN
62, 25, 10 miles & 100k gravel
Facebook page
Online Registration   

Fiddlin' Fifty-August 22, 2015
Balkan Township, MN
Approximately 50 miles
New Website
Facebook Page 
Event Flyer 
100 Rider Cap
Postcard registration closes July 1st 

The Heck Epic-August 22-23, 2015
Two Harbors/Ely, MN
220 miles 

Dirty Girl Adventure Gravel Ride-August 23, 2015
House of Coates
Coates, MN
30 miles 

River Valley 100-August 30, 2015
Mankato, MN
100 mile paved, 100 km paved,
100 km gravel ride, 100 km gravel race
Registration 

Legendary Laurentian-September 5, 2015
Giants Ridge
Biwabik, MN  

La Crosse Gravel Classic-September 6, 2015
La Crosse, WI
56 miles 
Online Registration


The Gravel Conspiracy-September 11-13, 2015
Duluth, MN
Route to be determined
Registration opening in March
75 rider cap 
Facebook Event page  

Back Forty F**k Festival-September 12, 2015
Denmark Twp, MN
80 miles
Registration 
Facebook Page   

Inspiration 100-September 12, 2015
Garfield, MN
100 miles
Postcard registration opens July 1st.
Facebook Page  

Tour of Filmore-September 27, 2015
Lanesboro, MN
75 miles 

Heck of the North Gravel Cycling Classic-October 3, 2015
Two Harbors, MN
110, 55 miles
Online Registration begins May 1st.
Facebook Page 

Woodchipper 100 v4-October 3, 2015
Viking Park
Hawley, MN
100 miles 
Facebook Event Page  

Goodhue Gravel Grinder-October 4, 2015
Dennison, MN
Approximately 50 miles  

The Filthy 50-October 11, 2015
Stewartville, MN
52 miles
Online Registration 

Dirt Bag-October 18, 2015
Clearwater, MN
Facebook page