Zion Gravel Bike Race
13, 30, & 55 Mile Courses
October 15, 2022 | Apple Valley, UT
#ZGBR
Zion Gravel Bike Race
13, 30, & 55 Mile Courses
What's a better way to explore the landscape around Zion than on your own two feet? Exploring on your own two wheels, of course! Join us as we zip, swerve, and coast through this exciting bike course in beautiful Southern Utah this October.
October 15, 2022
Apple Valley, UT
Difficulty:
Gravel Road
Loop Course
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Course Descriptions & Maps
Zion 13 Mile Gravel Bike Race
Course Time Limit: 2.5 hours
Race Start Time: 9:30 am
Read the race details!
The First 5 miles of the course are up Gooseberry Mesa Road. This is a very well maintained, slightly uphill gravel road. It has a few sandy portions, which are still rideable. You should get a fast-moving, fun roll here. At mile 5.15 there is a beautiful view of Zion National Park and Kolob Canyon. This is a great area for riders to get off the bike and take some photos.
Backtracking just a few yards you will take a left hand turn that takes you on your first OHV trail. This trail is a little more rugged and has scattered rocks and small boulders through the next 2.5 miles of the course. You will be riding on a lot of petrified wood so keep your eye out! There are a few sharp turns with slight technical climbs and descents. Every section of the trail riders are able to dismount and walk their bike if needed. At mile 7.7 riders will take a slight left turn back on the main gravel road that will wind them downhill to the finish line. At the finish line there will be water and nutrition.
13 Mile Course Map (click for interactive map )
Course Photos
Get a feel for the terrain and landscape that await you out on the course!
GET INVOLVED
Support Our
Park Communities
Fundraise while you train for the 30mile or 55mile course with a charity bib and your registration fee could be waived. All funds go to Wander Project to support efforts in and around the communities that host our events.
Volunteer with Us
Our amazing volunteers help out at the race expo, finish line, merch tent, and beyond! Join us for a 3-4hr shift and earn a $50 or $100 credit towards a future race.
Pro-tip: Volunteer at the expo and race the next day OR ask a friend to volunteer and "gift" you the credit (or use it themselves!)
Sign up now and we'll notify you about volunteer shifts closer to the race!
HOW TO PREPARE
Gravel biking is a new sport on the scene - read this guide from Bicycling.com to learn about the skills, gear, and training that go into this exciting activity!
Zion Bike Race Details
Come here to prepare for your race! Want these details on-the-go? Download the race guide >>
Biking on gravel roads is a unique, technical challenge. It has grown in popularity recently and we are excited to offer this opportunity to flex your gravel bike muscles!
Your Bike
We recommend a gravel bike - That being said, it is possible to complete this event on a variety of bicycles including mountain bikes or e-bikes.
NOTE: Riders using an e-bike are not eligible for a top finisher award in any category. However, e-bikes are still welcome at the race and all riders will receive a finisher medal when they cross the finish line!
We recommend a 42C tire (or larger) - Tire choice can make a big difference when it comes to handling terrain and road conditions. Here in southern Utah we have a lot of embedded sandstone and rock on our trails. A 42C tire or larger will help you to roll over some bigger terrain on our course.
Your Gear
Helmets are required on course - the exact style and model is up to each racer.
We cannot guarantee that we will have tools available to service your bike, so please plan to bring your own tools. If you choose to have crew (55 mile racers only), they will be able to meet you at Mile 28 to provide assistance.
Bike Services At The Race!
Our friends at Rapid Cycling will be on-site at the expo to offer tuning and simple repairs for your bike. Their services are first-come, first-serve. Prices are determined by Rapid Cycling.
This is a tentative schedule based on our 2021 event! Exact parking lot and bib pick-up hours may change. Racers should plan to arrive well before their start time.
Friday
2:00 pm - Race expo & bib pickup located at Ruby Rider Ranch!
5:00 pm - Race Director QA
6:00 pm - Race expo & bib pickup ends
Saturday
6:30 am - Parking lot opens
6:30 am - Early morning bib-pickup opens
7:15 am - Riders line up & bib pick-up closes
8:00 am - 55 Mile riders begin
8:30 am - 30 Mile riders begin
9:30 am - 13 Mile riders begin
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12:00 pm - 13 Miler cut-off*
12:45 pm - 30 Miler cut-offf*
3:45 pm - 55 Miler cut-off*
*Cut-off times give our racers ample time to complete the course. Approximately 2.5 hours for the 13 Mile course, 4 hours for the 30 Mile course, and 7.5 hours for the 55 Mile course. There will be a sweeper on course to make sure all racers complete their race within the allowed window.
Bib Pickup Options
You have a couple of options for picking up your bib and race packet. When you register, we ask you to indicate when you plan to pick up your bib. If you plans change, don’t worry about it. We only ask to help us plan in terms of numbers.
Option #1: Race Expo
We’ll have our race expo the Friday before the race. We’ll have our merch table set up, so be sure to stop by and say hi!
Option #2: Race Morning (not recommended)
We will have limited race morning packet pickup. If it can be avoided, please do not pick your packet up the morning of the race.
Date: October 14th, 2022 (Friday)
Hours: 2:00 - 6:00pm
Location: Ruby Rider Ranch just outside of Apple Valley, UT.
Race day parking will be in the same location near the start/finish.
Do not park along Smithsonian Butte Road/Main Street. Please pull into the parking area as directed when you arrive.
Bring Your Own Bag
In our ongoing effort to eliminate waste during our races, our expos are bag-free events. We encourage you to BYOB (bring your own bag) to hold your bib, race shirt, and any goodies you pick up from the race expo!
Locations
13 Mile Course -
There are no aid stations for this course. Riders will be able to fill water bottles and get recovery snacks at the start/finish line.
30 Mile Course -
- 1 full aid station (mile 15.2)
- 1 water-only station (mile 28.25)
- Finish line water & fuel
55 Mile Course -
- 3 full aid stations (miles 15.2, 28.25, and 49.5)
- 1 water-only station (mile 38.2)
- Finish line water & fuel
All Aid Stations will have - Water, composting toilets, and a First Aid kit
Full Aid Station Food & Supplies typically include
- Water
- Gnarly Hydrate (electrolyte drink)
- Fresh-cut fruit
- Soda
- A variety of both salty and sweet items
- Energy gels
- Sandwiches and/or chips
- Bacon
Minimum Pace & Cut-Off Times
Each runner must complete their race within the below cutoff time, otherwise they will receive a DNF (did not finish). Your time starts the moment each runner crosses the start line (this is your chip time).
13 Miler
Cutoff Time: ~2.5 hours
Minimum Pace: 6:00 minute mile
30 Miler
Cutoff Time: ~4 hours
Minimum Pace: 8:00 minute mile
*All 30 mile riders should be past the 28.25 aid station by 12:15 or risk being pulled from the course.
55 Miler
Cutoff Time: ~7.5 hours
Minimum Pace: 8:40 minute mile
*All 55 mile riders should be past the 28.25 aid station by 12:00 or risk being pulled from the course.
When training, aiming to beat the minimum pace times will help you avoid a DNF. If you find yourself consistently behind these minimums, your chances of finishing before the official close of the race will be small.
Finishing after the minimum pace time OR outside of your overall cutoff time will result in a DNF. However, you will be allowed to continue as long as race officials believe you are in good health. There will be a sweeper on course assisting riders who fall behind the minimum pace time.
Spectators
We love having spectators here to cheer on our racers! Here are some guidelines to know:
Spectators are only permitted along Main Street and at the Start/Finish Line (which is always the best place to cheer on racers!)
You will be sharing the road with cars and bikers on Main Street. Please be courteous of the racers - stay off to the side and expect lots of dust!
Crew Access (55 Miler Only)
Due to the remote nature of the event, crew access is limited.
55 Mile racers may have crew meet them at the crew access point right past Mile 28 on Little Creek Mesa Rd. There is an aid station located here and there will be parking available nearby (Follow the cone and please be respectful of riders on this road).
We do not allow crew for the 30 Mile course.
Reckless or disrespectful behavior by spectators and crew will not be tolerated. Failure to follow rules may result in your racer being disqualified from the race!
As nature lovers, we are committed to keeping our events sustainable and managing negative impacts on the environment. Our goal is to send less than one bag of actual “trash” to the landfill after each event. We have managed to meet this goal at events with over 3,000 participants!
ZERO WASTE CONTAINERS
Please avoid bringing disposable items to the event. When unavoidable, you can help us reduce trash by sorting items into the appropriate container.
You’ll notice three containers at our events:
Please avoid putting organic waste and compostable items in the wrong bin. It gets gross to sort through.
Composting Toilets
When possible, we also use Great Outdoors Composting Portable Toilets which conserve water, eliminates the use of harmful chemicals, and create a nutrient rich soil amenity. It is the best pooping experience you will ever have. To learn more or to have them at your event visit GreatOutdoorsToilets.com or ask the race officials for more information.
Please review these guidelines so you know what to expect during the race!
Racer Safety
All racers MUST wear a helmet on the course. You may share the road with cars - please be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Awards
Only non-electronic bikes are eligible for a top finisher award. Electronic bikes are welcome at the race, but these riders may not compete for any awards. We ask E-bikes to be considerate of their fellow riders on course.
Course Marking
For course marking all distances/courses will be marked with pink flags and ribbons. Any tricky junctions will be marked well with signs and flour arrows.
Dropping
Any runner dropping out of the race MUST hand their bib over to the aid station captain where they are dropping. Failure to do so will result in a 2 year suspension from all Vacation Races events.
Medical
At each aid station there will be a tent with self serve medical items like bandaids, salt tabs, etc. We will have trained medical personnel at the finish line for racers. If you find yourself in an emergency, please call 911. You will be personally responsible for any costs associated with medical dispatch. If the problems are not urgent, please contact race personnel. We are equipped to respond quickly to problems on course that are not life threateningly urgent.
Spectators
Give racers and cars a wide berth if you are standing along Main Street. Keep to a single line when needed. Please do your best not to distract or impede our racers in anyway - this behavior can be dangerous and you will be banned from future events.
Race Results
Visit RunSignup for current and past race results.
Results are based on chip time. Your time starts the moment you cross the starting mat. This mean someone who crosses the finish line after you may still have a faster overall time.
Racer times are available online ~20 minutes after you finish the race. Keep in mind, the results are not official until all racers have crossed the finish line, and have been reviewed by the event director.
Top Finisher but missed the awards ceremony? You can request to have your place medal shipped to you!
Got questions about your placement? please email timing@runsum.com.
Race Photos
We'll have race photos available via the event page on RunSignup following the race. Photos are typically available a week after an event.
Share your experiences with us!
Be sure to use #ZionGravel in any photos you post from the race or your adventures exploring the park so we can share in the fun with you!
Race Results
Exclusive Zion Gravel Bike Race merchandise will be available both at the race expo and near the finish line! When possible, we'll have race merch for sale in our online store after the race is over. Please allow time for us to add items online.
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We'll send you updates about registration opening, price jumps, and more to keep you on track!
