Minnesota -
Le Grand du Nord and Heck of the North https://www.heckofthenorth.com/ (registration opens today)
Lutsen 99er https://www.lutsen99er.com/
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Ok some ‘not in the USA gravel rides’ I’m in Western Australia. It should be noted that many of these contain long sections of coffee stones (ie. pea gravel, ball bearings made of rock)
Gibb River Challenge, approx 660 km Photo gallery of the Gibb Challenge Mountain Bike Ride (400+mls)
Cape to Cape, 4 day stage race, https://capetocapemtb.com/ (approx 170km/ 105mls)
Dwellingup 100km, https://www.dwellingup100.com.au/ (62mls)
Pipeline Challenge https://www.pipelinechallenge.com.au/ (612km/380mls)
Not a race though there is unofficial fastest times - The Munda Biddi trail (1060km/658mls) https://mundabiddi.org.au/
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Rode the Fistful and WYO 131 last summer, had a blast at both of them (60 and 70 mile distances)…well-run and super fun vibe.
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South Carolina here.
We have the Southeast Gravel Series here.
- Gravel Battle of Sumter Forest
- Saluda Redbank 100
- Race to Valhalla
- Greenwood Gravel Grinder
- Tryon Gravel Gallop
- Keyshawn Gold Rush
There is a great 6 part in-depth series on YouTube too. This series was started by the owner of Boyd Cycling Wheels.
Also the Swamp Fox Gravel Fondo outside of Charleston is awesome.
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I’ll add Hell Hole Gravel Grind 2 day stage race outside of Charleston. Same race director that do Swamp Fox.
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Original post updated with all recommendations up to this point. Fun thread…its been great checking out all of these races; keep the recommendations coming as long as they are recommended…not trying to turn this into an event calendar.
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For WA, the GF series by Ride Vicious Cycle is excellent. Definitely recommend Leavenworth but you have to register early as it gets sold out quickly and you can opt for the waitlist.
I’ve done most of the events multiple times except the last one, Winthrop as it’s the hardest but also always a conflict on my calendar.
Also to add to the OR side, the Gorge Gravel Grinder is great too! The other series they host I hear are excellent which I’m hoping to do soon.
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I’m thinking about the MixTape! Seems like a pretty cool concept
Forgot about that one. Haven’t got the chance to do it …yet.
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In California I can recommend the Grasshopper Series and BWR as has been mentioned.
I also did Lost and Found several years ago, and I think that deserves to be mentioned in this list due to the savage nature of the course, the possibility of camping, and the great party that follows it.
There were several events put on by Murphy Mack in the central valley that were really like a grassroots type of event but sadly he’s stopped doing them for now. I remember Rumble in the Ranchlands, SLO Ride to Hell amongst others. Hopefully he revives those events in the near future.
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Oregon: The Skull 120. The best gravel event that nobody has heard of. https://www.adventureharney.com/ The West Coast gravel/Oregon Coast gravel is a two day event on the Oregon coast that has some nice gravel and unique scenery. https://www.mudslingerevents.com/oregon-coast-gravel-epic
Washington: All of the Vicious Cycle events are good but Ephrata was the first and has grown into the unofficial season opener. Goldendale is the most scenic course I’ve ever ridden. Leavenworth and Winthrop are both brutal epics. http://rideviciouscycle.com/
The Cascadia Super G is probably the best gravel event that is on the west side of the cascades. https://www.downeastracingnw.com/gravel
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Some states have way more than 3 outstanding races, others are lucky to have “a” race at all 
It’s 75 miles each day. Like swamp fox it’s small and laid back.
Here’s a plug for Big River Gravel Series in Iowa! 4 events in a series, ride them all or just one. Discount for signing up for all of them.
4/22 Hell of the Wind
7/29 Burning Quad
9/9 1904
11/4 Turkey Burner
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Lutsen is not a gravel race, it uses a lot of gravel roads, but it is dishonest to people who have not ridden it to out right call it a gravel race.
Last year seemed to have a lot of people that opted for gravel bikes, which were very fast on the first climb, but many were fixing flats pretty early on, and I never saw them again once we hit the main portions of gravel.
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EDIT: this might be better suited for it’s own thread talking about Minnesota off road races…
That’s what I thought about Lutsen. What’s up with the flats though? Not running tubeless and reinforced/puncture resistant tires? Seems like a hard tail would still be the best choice, but having done the Rock Cobbler and the Stage race at Rebecca’s, a properly setup gravel bike could rail at Lutsen.
Would an Unbound setup, wide tires, airliners, tubeless with extra sealant, and sensable pressure, be a better setup. I mean isn’t it always?
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I can definitely see your point, it would be pretty rowdy on a drop bar bike and could fall into MTB territory, but some people consider it gravel depending on your limits of what defines gravel.
I think this is a fair discussion for the thread, if you see a race in the list that might be “more than just a gravel race” make it known.
Lutsen is a course that if you are on an mtb you think “I could do this on a gravel bike” and if you are in a gravel bike you are thinking “I really should have rode my mtb.”
There are a lot of rocks that are hidden under the grass, so you hit them with out ever seeing them. People hear there is a lot of gravel and go to 38mm tires when they should be running 2.2" tires.
So a gravel bike on 2.2" tires would be great, but your teeth are going to be rattled out, I rode my rigid fatty the last 2 years and last year rattled the heck out of me.
As for other events in Minnesota, we have:
Miesville 56 which isn’t epic, but a great event.
Freedham 76, not done it, but several friends that love it
Filthy 50
Wish the old Almanzo would come back…
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Is Ragnarok Gravel or is it mostly tarmac?
No idea, I am guessing mostly gravel based on the area it is in. Might start and finish on tar. For the most part that area has some pretty amazing gravel.