PA Gravel Fest
September 11-13, 2026
Gaines, PA

Have you ever wished there was a weekend of gravel rides with friends old and new where you could scratch all of your itches?
PA Gravel Fest is here to save you!
Awesome rides: Check.
Awesomer people: Check.
Chill camping: Check.
Great food: Check.
Frosty beverages: Check.
Live music: Check.
September is the perfect time of year for riding. The steam of August has burned away, but the October chill hasn’t arrived. Short-sleeved rides during the day and hoodies around the campgrounds at night.

The Venue
Crooked Creek Campground is an oasis of awesomeness in North-Central PA.

The Riding
Tour the amazing gravel roads along the western side of the PA Grand Canyon in Tioga State Forest.

The Food & Drink
You’ll earn an appetite and recovery beverages!

The Clinics
Learning can be fun.
Rider Resources
Thursday, 9/10 (optional)
- 3pm: Early Arrivals
- 3pm: Sign-In Opens
- 8pm: Sign-In Closes
Friday, 9/11
- 7am: Sign-In Opens
- 8am: Coffee & Donuts
- 9am: Welcome & Rider Meeting
- 9-10am: Trek Tent is open for pre-ride tuning
- 10am: Group Rides Start
- Wilson Point (42 miles)
- Lick Run (31 miles)
- Rowdiness Option (32 miles)
- 10am: Trail Run Shuttle Departs
- 6.5 mile run at Asaph Area
- 11am-5pm: Aid Station open at Elk Run Vista
- 2-6pm: Trek Tent open for bike washes, mechanical support & hangouts
- 3pm: Group Ride Starts
- Cedar Mtn. Vistas (23 miles)
- 5pm: Expo Opens & Party Starts
- 6-8pm: Dinner by Crooked Creek
- 6-8pm: Music: Acoustic Road Show
- 8pm: Viewing of Pennsylvania Dirtbags’ “PANTS” film
- 10pm: Expo and Party Closes
Saturday, 9/12
- 7am: Sign-In Opens
- 8am: Breakfast by Wandering Barista
- 8:30am: The Whoopie Pie Run (107 miles) w/James Llewellyn of Mammoth Endurance Gravel
- “Bring a bit of cash or your card for the country stores. Difficulty 9/10!”
- 9-10am: Coffee Talks around the Campground
- Hydration & Nutrition: Selene “Fit Chick” Yeager
- Photography: Abe Landes of Firespire Photography
- Gravel Travel: Kasey Clark of Velo Pigs
- 9-10am: Trek Tent is open for pre-ride tuning
- 10am: Group Rides Start
- Bradley Wale's Lookout Lunch (53 miles)
- Out & Back to Bradley Wales (35 miles)
- Swimming Hole + Spinning Wheel (49 miles)
- Bradley Wale's Lookout Lunch (53 miles)
- 10am: Trail Run Shuttle Departs
- 6-8 mile run at Colton Point
- 11am-5pm: Aid Station open at Bradley Wales
- 1pm: Group Rides Start
- Painting the Cedars w/Rowdiness (52 miles)
- Shambacker Spin (16 miles)
- 2-6pm: Trek Tent open for bike washes, mechanical support & hangouts
- 5pm: Expo Opens & Party Starts
- 6-8pm: Dinner by Crooked Creek
- 6-8pm: Music by House of Sterling
- 8pm: Viewing of Pennsylvania Dirtbags’ “JORTS” film
- 10pm: Expo and Party Closes
Sunday, 9/13
- 8am: Breakfast by Wandering Barista
- 8:30am: Group Ride Starts
- South & North (52 miles)
- 9-10am: Coffee Talks around the Campground
- Hydration & Nutrition: Selene “Fit Chick” Yeager
- Gravel Travel: Kasey Clark of Velo Pigs
- 9-10am: Trek Tent is open for pre-ride tuning
- 10am: Group Rides Start
- Asaph 2 Climbs (24 miles)
- Asaph 4 Climbs (42 miles)
- 10am: Trail Run Shuttle Departs
- 6-8 mile run at Colton Point (with different lookouts)
- Noon-4pm: Trek Tent open for bike washes & hangouts
- 1pm: Group Ride Starts
- Asaph 2 Climbs (24 miles)
- 4pm: Festival Closes
Monday, 9/14
- 11am: Late Departures Check-Out
All riders are expected to use digital navigation as the routes will not be marked. Some people will take folks out on adventures for no-drop rides each day.
Routes with Group Rides (or ride on your own)
- Wilson Point
- 42 miles and 4,300’ of climbing
- Full-day ride with vistas and a wide variety of gravel roads
- Variation to skip a rowdy road at mile 27 (stay on Mill Run Rd)
- Group ride on Friday at 10am
- Aid station at mile 27 on Friday from 11am-5pm
- Lick Run
- 31 miles and 2,400’ of climbing
- Wide variety of gravel roads on this route
- Variation with a rowdy road
- Group ride on Friday at 10am
- Cedar Mtn. Vistas
- 23 miles and 2,100’ of climbing
- Afternoon ride to the vistas closest to Camp
- Group ride on Friday at 3pm
- Aid station at mile 13 on Friday until 5pm
- The Whoopie Pie Run
- 107 miles and 9,000' of climbing
- with James Llewellyn of Mammoth Endurance Gravel who says “Bring a bit of cash or your card for the country stores. Difficulty 9/10!”
- Group ride on Saturday at 8:30am
- Refueling available at mile 30 (water), 41 (store), 64 (store), and 77 (aid station)
- Bradley Wale's Lookout Lunch
- 53 miles and 5,000’ of climbing
- Full-day ride with your lunch shuttled to Bradley Wale’s Lookout (extra $) on Saturday at 10am
- Shortcut available at mile 30, reduces by 13 miles
- And here's Bradley Out & Back that is about 35 miles
- Swimming Hole + Spinning Wheel
- 48 miles and 4,400’ of climbing
- Big ride to a swimming hole near Leetonia and vistas on the way back
- Group ride on Saturday at 10am
- Aid station at mile 31 on Saturday from 11am-4pm
- Painting the Cedars w/Rowdiness
- 35 miles with 3,200' of climbing
- A solid tour that's worth the effort!
- Group ride on Saturday at 10am
- Aid station at mile 18 on Saturday from 11am-4pm
- Shambacker Spin
- 16 miles and 1,500’ of climbing
- Short ride for those looking to spend more time at camp
- Group ride on Saturday at 1pm
- South + North
- 42 miles and 5,200’ of climbing
- Some of the best gravel roads to the south and north
- Group ride on Sunday at 8:30am
- Aid Station at mile 31 on Sunday from 11am-1pm
- Asaph 4 Climbs
- 42 miles and 4,300’ of climbing
- Large ride to the north with rowdy trail
- Group ride on Sunday at 10am
- Aid Station at mile 15 on Sunday from 11am-1pm
- Asaph 2 Climbs
- 24 miles and 2,400' of climbing
- Northern part of the festival with some bumps to climb and bumpy road, too
- Group rides on Sunday at 10am and 1pm
Other Routes (ride on your own):
- Grim Hollow Spin
- 16 miles and 1,466' of climbing
- A nice up & down from camp
- 10 Vista Tour
- 71 miles and 6,423' of climbing
- For those that are willing to climb to as many vistas as possible
- Ride it on Saturday to access the Aid at Bradley Wales otherwise there's no place to refuel on the route
- Tent camping: $50 for 2 nights (up to 4 people)
- RV lots along the creek with electric hookups: $110 for 2 nights (up to 5 people)
- Modern Cabins w/AC and beds: $200 for 2 nights (up to 4 people)
- Glamping Yurts along the creek: $190 for 2 nights (up to 2 people)
- You can add Thursday and/or Sunday nights as well (done during the registration process)
- AirBnBs are available through Crooked Roots Adventures
