Sunday Gravel 25 is a 25.7-mile loop starting in Philomont, with 1,663 feet of climbing. About 21.9 miles (85%) are on gravel or dirt roads and 3.8 miles are paved. The longest unpaved stretch runs 7.2 miles on Newlin Mill Road, Snake Hill Road, Pot House Road, Mountville Road, Leith Lane, Turkey Roost Road, Beaverdam Bridge Road near Saint Louis.
Route snapshot
What to expect
This loop spreads its gravel evenly across the ride: 9.9 gravel miles in the first half and 12.0 in the second. Along the way it links Silcott Spring, Airmont, Unison and Saint Louis.
The course tops out at 655 feet around mile 6.3 and drops as low as 318 feet. Expect 4 climbs of 80 feet or more; the biggest gains 300 feet over 3.4 miles starting near mile 2.8. The steepest quarter-mile averages about 7.7% near mile 15.7. At roughly 65 feet of climbing per mile, we rate it intermediate.
- 7.2 miles of continuous gravel on Newlin Mill Road, Snake Hill Road, Pot House Road and Mountville Road near Saint Louis.
- More unpaved stretches on Poor House Road and Greggsville Road.
- 85% of the distance is on gravel or dirt.
- Paved connectors include Philomont Road, Silcott Springs Road, Yellow Schoolhouse Road, Airmont Road and Newlin Mill Road.
- A steep pitch of about 7.7% near mile 15.7. Choose gears that let you stay seated on loose gravel.
- Carry water, a spare tube and a plug kit.
Ride notes. Start and finish in Philomont. These are working farm roads shared with horses, tractors and local traffic: slow down and pass wide around horses, and see VeloSafe for more. Gravel changes with the weather, so expect loose stone after a fresh grading and soft spots after heavy rain. Spring and fall are our favorite seasons out here.
Elevation and surface
Gravel sections
Unpaved stretches of half a mile or more, in riding order:
- Mile 0.4–4.9 (4.5 mi): Greggsville Road, Shoemaker School Road — near Philomont
- Mile 5.4–9.2 (3.8 mi): Otley Road, Paxson Road — near Silcott Spring
- Mile 10.9–12.5 (1.6 mi): Ebenezer Church Road — near Airmont
- Mile 13.0–17.8 (4.8 mi): Poor House Road, Unison Road — near Unison
- Mile 18.2–25.4 (7.2 mi): Newlin Mill Road, Snake Hill Road, Pot House Road, Mountville Road, Leith Lane, Turkey Roost Road, Beaverdam Bridge Road — near Saint Louis
Photos from the route
Photos taken along this route on our rides.
Get the route
Surface data comes from Ride with GPS. Road names come from OpenStreetMap. Gravel roads change with weather and maintenance, so check conditions before you ride and follow our VeloSafe guidance on rural roads.
