Unison – Fireworks Pizza Ride is a 22.8-mile route starting in Unison, with 1,841 feet of climbing. About 15.9 miles (70%) are on gravel or dirt roads and 7.0 miles are paved. The longest unpaved stretch runs 6.0 miles on Unison Road, Fiddlers Green Lane, Newlin Mill Road, Snake Hill Road, Pot House Road near Unison and Saint Louis.
Route snapshot
What to expect
This route front-loads the gravel: 10.2 gravel miles in the first half and 5.7 in the second. Along the way it links Saint Louis, Philomont and Leesburg.
The course tops out at 789 feet around mile 18.9 and drops as low as 314 feet. Expect 6 climbs of 80 feet or more; the biggest gains 240 feet over 1.4 miles starting near mile 17.5. The steepest quarter-mile averages about 10.6% near mile 18.6. At roughly 81 feet of climbing per mile, we rate it intermediate.
- 6.0 miles of continuous gravel on Unison Road, Fiddlers Green Lane, Newlin Mill Road and Snake Hill Road near Unison and Saint Louis.
- More unpaved stretches on Shelburne Glebe Road and Leith Lane.
- 70% of the distance is on gravel or dirt.
- Paved sections on Snickersville Turnpike and Leesburg Pike, busier roads. Ride single file and stay alert.
- Paved connectors include Mountville Road, North Fork Road, Loudoun Orchard Road and Thomas Mill Road.
- A steep pitch of about 10.6% near mile 18.6. Choose gears that let you stay seated on loose gravel.
- Carry water, a spare tube and a plug kit.
Ride notes. Start in Unison. 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 0.0–6.0 (6.0 mi): Unison Road, Fiddlers Green Lane, Newlin Mill Road, Snake Hill Road, Pot House Road — near Unison and Saint Louis
- Mile 6.8–9.2 (2.4 mi): Leith Lane, Hibbs Bridge Road
- Mile 9.6–11.5 (1.9 mi): Philomont Road, Greggsville Road — near Philomont
- Mile 12.7–17.0 (4.3 mi): Shelburne Glebe Road
- Mile 17.7–18.7 (1.0 mi): Canby Road
Photos from the route
Photos taken along this route on our rides.
Get the route
Surface data comes from Strava. 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.
