Go Farther: Race Directors Give Top Gravel Picks OUTSIDE the Northwoods

Gravel race directors from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the U.P. share their favorite events outside the region. From epic endurance rides to community-driven weekends, these picks highlight the races worth traveling for—and the stories that make them unforgettable.

One of the best parts of gravel is discovering new places to ride, especially the ones worth planning an entire road trip around. The kind of events that surprise you with killer courses, quirky traditions, and an atmosphere that makes you feel like a local, even if you're hundreds of miles from home.

To help you find your next great adventure, we asked a handful of race directors from our region to name their favorite gravel events outside the Midwest. These are the rides they return to, talk about, and can’t stop thinking about.

Keely Campbell

Gravel Worlds - Nebraska

Admittedly, I don't do many events outside the Midwest, but a few years ago I won an entry to Gravel Worlds on Instagram, and away I went! I absolutely loved the routes, which showcase Nebraska's best gravel. Additionally, it's a large event with an intimate feel, which is my personal sweet spot. I rode the maiden voyage of my new-to-me single-speed Surly Cross Check at this event, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Marty Larson

Mid South - Oklahoma

It’s what inspires The Heywood to be what we do. The way Bobby and Crystal welcome everyone is just…something else. All walks of life, all shapes, all joy. The community that surrounds the Midsouth is simply outstanding. We’ve met simply outstanding folks down there, and get a chance to see them each year. It’s truly a family thing. The elite pros and lantern rougue are equally honored during the weekend. It is an elite race, but it’s clear that the every day rider is honored as participants as well. There’s nothing like a Bobby Hug to finish your ride.

Chase Wark

Rock Cobbler, Lyons Heart, Mid South, & Sea Otter

There's not one correct for me here. If I'm just going off the vibes of the event, it has to be Mid South which is pretty much a bike festival weekend now. If it is based off the course, my favorite course is the Rock Cobbler. My favorite event expo is Lyons Heart since they have a sauna and cold plunge and Sea Otter since there's so many brands that go to that one. I can't really pick just one event and label it as my favorite though.

Adam Klotz

Spotted Horse Gravel - Iowa

I was relatively new to the gravel scene and just looking for any event I could ride. October was closing in, and I needed one. Flipping through a publication not unlike The Nxrth, I spotted the Spotted Horse Gravel in Madison County, Iowa. Sure, why not? I told myself.

At the time, I didn’t know what an “ultra” was. I didn’t know what it meant to ride a Sarah Cooper event. And I had certainly never spent more than eight hours in the saddle. In hindsight, those were probably pretty good reasons not to sign up.

The night before the ride, I tested my kit in the hotel parking lot. I overheard a group of younger riders talking about how many ultras they’d done—that was the first time I’d heard the word. I knew the mileage, sure, but hearing it called an “ultra” made it real in a way that kept me up that night.

Rollout was at 4 a.m., which meant leaving the hotel at 3. It was the earliest I’d ever been up for a bike ride. It was cold. And everyone around me had tires far wider than my skinny 32s (which, honestly, might’ve been 28s).

I remember confidently thinking we only had a certain amount of elevation gain—until I passed that number well before the first checkpoint, with a long way still to go. I asked a volunteer about the discrepancy, and he just smiled and said, “It’s a Sarah Cooper event. What did you expect?” My legs still felt fine at that point, but after he said that, the ride suddenly felt harder.

Around mile 100, after navigating some of the roughest minimum maintenance roads, dodging cows and windmills, I crashed hard at the bottom of a descent. My 28s finally met their match on Iowa’s class 5 gravel. I got up and kept riding, but my headlight didn’t—it broke off in the fall.

It was late October. The sun went down early. No headlight. No moon. Just endless climbing and descending in the darkest dark I’ve ever experienced. No chance for my eyes to adjust. I was exhausted. All it would’ve taken was one phone call to race support to end the misery.

But I never made the call.

Twelve thousand feet of climbing. 155 miles. I finished.

The Spotted Horse is my favorite gravel event outside of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the U.P. Not just for the course, but because of what it pulled out of me—growth, grit, and a finish I’ll never forget.

Trenton Raygor

Gravel Worlds Long Voyage 300 - Nebraska

Gravel Worlds Long Voyage 300 in Lincoln NE is a favorite of mine. Being a person who likes to ride bikes for a really long time, I really enjoy this event. The "Gravel Family" as they like to call it, including founders Cornbread and Jason, keep the positive vibes high. I like an overnighter and this tough course (especially the Iowa miles) really pushes the limits on the single speed. Shout out to the Flying J roller dogs on this one!