Desert Gravel
Gravel racing and riding along the Colorado/Utah border near Fruita — five distances, dinosaur-country terrain, and the TransRockies crew behind every gritty mile.
The vibe
Dinosaur country, every pedal earned
Out on the Colorado/Utah border, where the mesas are wide and the climbs will rearrange your priorities, Desert Gravel delivers the kind of riding that sticks with you. Formerly known as Co2uT and now part of the TransRockies Race Series, the event has leveled up its infrastructure without losing the raw, western desert character that made it a word-of-mouth favorite in the first place. Think chunky descents, soul-checking pitches, and the sort of open terrain that makes you feel very small in the best possible way.
Five distances mean the field runs the full spectrum — from folks pinning a number for the first time to seasoned gravel heads chasing a result. Race director Kevin Kane has been running rides out here long enough to know where the course needs to be dialed and where it should stay honest. The TransRockies partnership brings more polish to registration and logistics, but the spirit of the Old West with a gravel twist — vast landscapes, big climbs, and a healthy fear of extinction — is still the whole point.
If you’re making the drive west from the Front Range, plan to spend the weekend. Fruita’s post-ride scene is genuinely good: local breweries, trails everywhere, and the kind of low-key bike culture that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The 2026 edition is April 25th; 2027 registration opens May 26, 2026.