Come October, the gravel roads above the Susquehanna River will fill again with dust, whoopie pies, and the low hum of a few thousand tired freehubs. unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley runs October 10-11, 2026, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and by now the event needs no introduction on the East Coast gravel calendar — it’s one of the region’s biggest, and it’s earned that size the hard way, one edition at a time.
Organizers are calling this year’s haul “Incredible Pennsylvania Gravel,” or IPA Gravel if you’re the type who appreciates a pun with your climbing gravel. Whatever you call it, the formula is the same one that’s carried the event to nine editions: real racing for the people who want it, a mellower ride for everyone else, a campout for the truly committed, and a whole weekend of small-town Pennsylvania wrapped around all of it.
[Read about Don Scheese’s unPAved experience]
Racing for Whoopie Pies
The sharp end of the weekend is the Full-130, a 130-mile course carved into four timed segments totaling 59 miles — 45 percent of the route run flat-out for time, with the rest left for recovering and eating. A $3,000 cash purse is on the line for whoever manages the fastest legs across those segments, and the winner’s spoils, appropriately enough, come with whoopie pies.
For riders who find 130 miles a touch too civilized, there’s the Big Lick-200, an ultra-endurance option that sends racers out to cover the extra distance through the night. It’s the kind of event that turns a gravel weekend into a genuine test of who actually wants to be out there at 3 a.m., still turning the pedals.
Riding at Pierogi Pace
Not everyone’s there to race, and unPAved has never pretended otherwise. Riders chasing views over results can choose from four courses ranging from just over 50 miles up to the full 130, all run at what the organizers call “Pierogi Pace” — slower, cheaper, and considerably less punishing on the legs. New for 2026 are two additional distances, 40 and 70 miles, both starting and finishing at Rusty Rail Brewing Company in nearby Mifflinburg — which, for anyone who’s ridden a century and then needed a beer, is about as sensibly designed a finish line as gravel racing offers.
The SlumberPArty Option
For riders who’d rather stretch the whole thing out, the SlumberPArty turns the course into a two-day tour. Riders roll out Saturday, camp overnight at R.B. Winter State Park, and finish alongside everyone else on Sunday. Organizers ferry gear to and from the campsite, so the overnight option comes without the usual bikepacking tax of hauling a tent and sleeping bag over 60-some miles of Pennsylvania gravel.
A Weekend, Not a Day
unPAved outgrew a single day some editions ago, and 2026 keeps building on that. Festivities open Friday night, and Saturday brings the Lewisburg Fall Festival to town — FUNpaved rides for the non-racing crowd, along with vendors, craft stalls, and activities for kids. When the riding’s done, the weekend wraps at the historic Campus Theatre in downtown Lewisburg for the unPAved Film Festival.
“The Susquehanna River Valley has earned its place on the gravel cycling stage, thanks to its stunning landscapes, varied and challenging terrain, and exceptional events like unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley,” said Judy Machesic, Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau. She’s watched the event grow from the ground up, and credits it with introducing riders from well beyond the region to what the Valley has to offer — helped along, she said, by the Friday and Saturday pre-ride gatherings that let the local community meet the athletes and share what makes the area worth riding through in the first place.
Who’s Behind It
This year’s edition is backed by Lauf Cycles, Stan’s, New Trail Brewing, Rusty Rail Brewing Company, Backyard Beans, Endo Tuneup, Nittany Mountain Works, Philly Bike Expo, Purple Lizard Maps, CarboRocket, Cycle Up Cafe, Freeze Thaw Cycles, Hushmoney Bikes, Brookside Bikes, Links Cyclery, Bike Roost, Dutch Wheelman Bicycle Shop, and Saucon Valley Bikes — a sponsor list that reads like a snapshot of Pennsylvania’s independent cycling and brewing scenes working in tandem. Proceeds from the weekend support the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Penns Valley Pedals & Pints.
Registration for the 2026 unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley is open now at BikeReg, with full details on categories, pricing, and schedules at unpavedpennsylvania.com.
Event info:
October 11 — UnPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley, Lewisberg, PA, Cimarron Chacon, [email protected], unpavedpennsylvania.com
