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
Schedule from 2025
(schedule for 2026 will be made this Spring, but wanted to give you an idea of what we did last year)
- Thursday, 9/11 (optional)
- 3pm: Early Arrivals
- 3pm: Sign-In Opens
- Friday, 9/12
- 7am: Sign-In Opens
- 8am: Coffee & Cinnamon Rolls available
- 9am: Welcome & Rider Meeting
- 9:30am: Hydration & Nutrition Clinic by Selene “The Fit Chick” Yeager
- 9:30: Clinic and Q&A
- 11: Social Ride
- 10am: Group Ride Starts
- 2pm: Photography Clinic by Abe Landes of Firespire Photography
- 3pm: Group Ride Starts
- 5pm: Expo & Party Starts
- Beer from New Trail Brewing
- THC Seltzers from Endo Tuneup
- 6pm: Dinner Served
- 7-9pm: Performance by House of Sterling band
- 10pm: Expo and Party Closes
- Saturday, 9/13
- 7am: Sign-In Opens
- 8am: Breakfast by Wandering Barista & Coffee w/Backyard Beans
- 9am: Welcome & Rider Meeting
- 9am: Group Rides Start
- 9:30am: Skills Clinic by Dirty Kitten
- 9:30: Introductions and Overview
- 10:30-12:30: Skills Clinic
- 1-2: Lunch together
- 2-4: Group Ride
- 4:00: Recovery and Reflection
- 1pm: Lunch available from Wandering Barista
- 2pm: Group Ride Starts
- 4pm: Bikepacking Clinic by Singletrack Samurai
- 5pm: Expo & Party Starts
- Beer from New Trail Brewing
- THC Seltzers from Endo Tuneup
- 6pm: Dinner Served
- 7-9pm: Music by Kassidy Wary
- 10pm: Expo and Party Closes
- Sunday, 9/14
- 8am: Breakfast by Wandering Barista & Coffee w/Backyard Beans
- 9am: Group Rides Start
- 9am: Clinic on Tires, Wheels & Gravel Gear by Trek
- 10am: Group Ride Starts
- 4pm: Festival Closes
- Monday, 9/12
- 11am: Late Departures Check-Out
All riders are expected to use digital navigation as the routes will not be marked. Cue sheets for each route will be available and some guides will take folks out on adventures for no-drop rides each day.
Routes with Group Rides (or ride on your own)
- Wilson Point 40
- 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 Noon-3pm
- Cedar Mtn. Vistas
- 23 miles and 2,100’ of climbing
- Afternoon ride to the vistas closest to Camp
- Group ride on Friday at 3pm
- Bradley Wale's Lookout Lunch
- 52 miles and 5,000’ of climbing
- Full-day ride with your lunch shuttled to Bradley Wale’s Lookout (extra $) on Saturday at 9am
- Shortcut available at mile 30, reduces by 13 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 9am
- Aid station at mile 31 on Saturday 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 Saturday at 2pm
- Asaph 40
- 42 miles and 4,300’ of climbing
- Large ride to the north with rowdy trail
- 24 mile option
- Group ride on Sunday at 9am
- Aid Station at mile 15 on Sunday from 10am-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 9am
- Aid Station at mile 31 on Sunday from 10am-1pm
- Shambacker Spin
- 16 miles and 1,500’ of climbing
- Short ride for those looking to spend more time at camp
- Group ride on Sunday at 10am
Other Routes (ride on your own):
- Grim Hollow Spin
- 16 miles and 1,466' of climbing
- A nice up & down from camp
- Painting the Cedars w/Rowdiness
- 35 miles with 3,200' of climbing
- A solid tour that's worth the effort!
- 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
unPAved PArtners
