Steven Rindner Lists The Best States in the US for Gravel Biking

Gravel biking has taken the cycling world by storm over the last decade or so. After all, it does provide riders with the opportunity to explore off-road routes in a new and exciting manner. Steven Rindner points out that as there are so many trails available across the United States, it can at times be overwhelming to choose where to ride. Hence, it is prudent for riders to do their research, and visit the states that are popular for having the best gravel biking trails.

Steven Rindner points out the best US States for gravel biking

Gravel biking can take people on a variety of trails, and dirt paths. They get to explore new places that would be inaccessible when riding a simple road bike. However while gravel biking does provide the chance to travel on the road less traveled, at times these roads have a dead end or can land the riders too near to private property for comfort. Doing proper research is important for finding the best path for a new gravel bike adventure. Here are a few places in the US that especially have great gravel biking routes:

• Vermont: Riders can explore a lot in this state on a gravel bike.  Slicing through the picturesque towns of Stowe and Waterbury, the Green Mountains of Vermont especially provide a good mix of bike paths and unpaved roads that connect riders to a variety of attractions and nearby cities.  Its mountainous landscape provides a range of challenging climbs and fun descents, along with amazing sweeping views of farmland and foliage.
• Oregon: At Oregon, riders can find quite a diverse terrain with a large variety of gravel roads and dirt paths.  In addition to riding on great roads, one would also get the chance to chance to check out the Willamette Valley, Cascade mountains and Oregon coastal views, while gravel biking here.
• Arkansas: Bentonville in Arkansas is especially a favorite of numerous of cyclists. A large number of people today visit this city for its extensive network of mountain bike trails. While Bentonville is situated in the Ozark Mountains, it also is surrounded by farmland, and hence there are many gravel riding trails here for riders of every skill level.
• Virginia: Sitting in a bit of a pit between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is another prominent spot for gravel riding. The routes in the valley largely feature a mixed terrain, and it might take riders a bit long to get out into areas with gravel roads. However, once they are there, riders would find rolling farmland, Mennonite communities, and towns that are hundreds of years old.
• Michigan: The state of Michigan is extremely beautiful, and here one can find many types of distinctive terrains for gravel biking, including farm roads and forest roads. The Upper Peninsula particularly provides backroads full of rugged terrain to challenge the expert riders, while the Lower Peninsula is perfect for beginners and has lots of flat farmlands.

As Steven Rindner mentions, gravel roads and trails can vary widely in terms of their difficulty and safety. Hence, riders need to select a route that is appropriate for their skill level and experience. No matter whether one goes for a run in their local wooded park or negotiates rugged single-track in the mountains, there are many ways trail running differs from running the roads, treadmill or track. Any person enthusiastic about running for long miles should definitely try out trail running. The perfect gravel riding route will be challenging but not too difficult, and should ideally take the riders through some beautiful and interesting scenery.