Heart of Gold Gravel, produced by Bike Monkey, explores remote roads north and east of Nevada City, California. Picked as one of our best gravel cycling events in California, the course features a mix of pavement, smooth and rough gravel roads, ripping descents, and prolonged, steady climbs. You will cross the Yuba River twice and visit historic parks and tiny hamlets like North Bloomfield and Washington. Topping it all off, the course features ribbons of singletrack before making your way back to Nevada City.
The 2022 edition came with two route Options. The long route comes with 74 miles and nearly 11,000 feet of elevation gain. Bike Monkey does not mess around. Additional daylight and mind-bending fall colors graced the event. The short route. The shorter route option consisted of more climbing per mile on average but was shorter, with about 46 miles and 7,100′ elevation gain. It’s compact, tough, and beautiful. Bike Monkey often updates routes in the spirit of constant improvement, so look for updates when the event date approaches.
The Heart of Gold Gravel is brought to you by Bike Monkey, which produces some of the best gravel and road events throughout California and Nevada, including Levi’s Gran Fondo; Rebecca’s Private Idaho; Stetina’s Pay Dirt; Truckee Dirt Fondo; Fish Rock; Heart of Gold Gravel; Hammer Road Rally; and the Bovine Classic. Bike Monkey not only produces great experiences, but each event gives back to the community where the event occurs. In the case of The Heart of Gold, event proceeds benefit several charitable organizations focused on youth mental wellness. The event host, Nevada City, is recognized as California’s best-preserved Gold Rush town. It’s an exuberant Victorian-era city amid rivers & forests. Nestled in a basin on the Western Slope of the Sierra Nevada, it is framed and protected by ridgetops and promontories. At 2,500 feet above sea level, Nevada City is surrounded by forest. Deer Creek flows through and graces the center of town. It was voted by U.S. travel media as “Most Beautiful” and “Best River Town.”
