Unison Friday 38K is a 23.8-mile loop starting in Unison, with 1,867 feet of climbing. About 16.5 miles (69%) are on gravel or dirt roads and 7.3 miles are paved. The longest unpaved stretch runs 7.9 miles on Foggy Bottom Road, Hollow Oak Road, Paxson Road, Wild Raspberry Lane near Paxson and Silcott Spring.
Route snapshot
What to expect
This loop spreads its gravel evenly across the ride: 9.5 gravel miles in the first half and 7.0 in the second. Along the way it links Paxson, Silcott Spring and Philomont.
The course tops out at 654 feet around mile 10.3 and drops as low as 320 feet. Expect 7 climbs of 80 feet or more; the biggest gains 166 feet over 2.1 miles starting near mile 0.2. The steepest quarter-mile averages about 8.8% near mile 10.1. At roughly 78 feet of climbing per mile, we rate it intermediate.
- 7.9 miles of continuous gravel on Foggy Bottom Road, Hollow Oak Road, Paxson Road and Wild Raspberry Lane near Paxson and Silcott Spring.
- More unpaved stretches on Hibbs Bridge Road and Greggsville Road.
- 69% of the distance is on gravel or dirt.
- Passes the Virginia historical marker for the Battle of Unison.
- Paved sections on Snickersville Turnpike, busier roads. Ride single file and stay alert.
- Paved connectors include Bloomfield Road, Silcott Springs Road, Greggsville Road and Foxcroft Road.
- A steep pitch of about 8.8% near mile 10.1. 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 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 0.0–1.6 (1.6 mi): Unison Road, Bloomfield Road — near Unison
- Mile 3.3–11.2 (7.9 mi): Foggy Bottom Road, Hollow Oak Road, Paxson Road, Wild Raspberry Lane — near Paxson and Silcott Spring
- Mile 11.5–13.2 (1.7 mi): Shoemaker School Road
- Mile 15.0–16.9 (1.9 mi): Greggsville Road, Philomont Road — near Philomont
- Mile 17.4–20.0 (2.6 mi): Hibbs Bridge Road, Leith Lane
- Mile 23.1–23.8 (0.7 mi) — near Unison
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.
