Updated April 1, 2024
The Ride Collective presents a high alpine gravel ride in Crooked Gravel Colorado’s Winter Park. Picked as one of our best gravel cycling events in Colorado, Crooked Gravel offers two exceptional routes that capture the finest gravel trails in Grand County, CO and feature meandering ascents through picturesque aspen and pine forests, as well as exhilarating descents beneath the expansive Colorado sky.
The Long Course covers 67 miles, mostly on gravel, with a total elevation gain of 5,600 ft. Starting at 8,700 ft, participants roll out together at 8:00 a.m. The timed section stretches from mile 4.5 to mile 62.5, encompassing challenging gravel segments and a climb topping out at nearly 10,400 ft. Aid stations provide opportunities to refresh and regroup. The route offers stunning views, smooth dirt roads, and a sustained 13-mile climb with a 2,500 ft gain. After descending Crooked Creek, the ride concludes with a leisurely return to town via a bike path. The top three male and female winners are rewarded with up to $2,000 in cash prizes.
The shorter route, or Crooked Gravel “mini,” is only 25 miles but is still a challenge for any gravel rider. It also starts at Winter Park Resort at 8,700 feet and climbs nearly 2,000 feet of elevation on the resort’s backside. This course is not timed or available for cash price but does have one aid station.
Crooked Gravel Registration includes event t-shirts, race support, an opportunity to win cash prizes and a post-race celebration, Alpine Celebration, expo exhibitors, raffles, podium awards, massages, a post-race meal, and a beer garden with live music. Making the event even more special, the sister mountain biking event, Sunrise to Sunset, is being held in conjunction with Crooked Gravel, so at the end of the day, racers of both events will be partying together at the bandshell!
Many participants plan to stay the full weekend to enjoy Winter Park, which has multiple things to do all year long. Enjoy diversity in restaurants near the area, such as Boca Winter Park, Prato, and Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine. The Ride Collective provides a ton of great recommendations in regards to travel & lodging. The area has many hotels and campgrounds near the start of the course or in the nearby Fraser, such as Winter Park Mountain Lodge and Lawson Adventure Park. Nearby campgrounds are Idlewild Campground and St. Louis Creek Campground (one of our personal favorites!); both open in May for the spring and summer seasons.
The Ride Collective, formally known as the Outside Events Cycling Series, is a portfolio of eight professionally produced events and races in Colorado and New Mexico. Host venues and terrain vary from the Front Range to the Rocky Mountains to the High Desert. TRC strives to create an inclusive culture where cyclists of almost all abilities can enjoy the simple pleasures of riding a bicycle. For some, it’s about the challenge; others do it for a cause, but everybody enjoys surfing the energy of the group. The Ride Collective events range from 300 to 3,000 participants, with a portion of event proceeds benefiting local and regional nonprofit organizations. The full calendar of events includes the following:
- Wild Horse Gravel – May 20
- Sunrise to Sunset Castle Park – June 3
- Crooked Gravel – July 22
- Sunrise to Sunset Winter Park – July 22
- Copper Triangle – August 5
- Enchanted Circle Bicycle Tour – August 12
- Tour of the Moon – September 9
- Tour de Vineyards – September 16
Many of The Ride Collective events we consider to be top-tier cycling events and consistently make our list of the Best Mountain Bike Events in Colorado and the Rockies, the Best Gravel Cycling Events in the Rockies, and the Best Road Cycling Events in Colorado and the Rockies.
