Shawangunk Grit
An Epic Gravel Ride on the Shawangunk Ridge to Benefit Mohonk Preserve
Saturday, November 1, 2025 | 50.4 Mile | 23 Mile
Registration open now!
Close out your riding season at Mohonk Preserve!
Join us for an epic fundraising ride across the Shawangunk Ridge, just 90 miles north of Manhattan. Pick from two distances: 50.4 miles (4,711 ft gain) or 23 miles (1,811 ft gain). Both courses begin and end at the Ulster County Fairgrounds and once you enter the Preserve at mile two, the course is 99% gravel on our famous network of carriage roads. The 23 mile course is currently being revised and we’ll be sharing that soon.
This is not a race; think of it as a super challenging fun ride for a really good cause. Much of the gravel is quite rough and steep. Expect loose rock – especially on the descents. The long course includes some technical single track and a mandatory dismount/bike hike up a steep boulder garden. Bring your gravel, cyclocross, or mountain bike. Class 1 e-bikes are permitted if you can manage the technical sections. No road bikes, please.
Be prepared for a challenging, but fun ride!
Registration fees raise money for a great cause!
Your registration fees directly support Mohonk Preserve’s mission to protect the northern Shawangunk Ridge and inspires people to care for, enjoy and explore the natural world. With more than 8,200 acres of mountain ridges, forests, fields, streams, ponds and other unique and beautiful places, Mohonk Preserve is the largest member and visitor-supported nature preserve in New York State.
About Shawangunk Grit:
The ridge where you’ll be riding is made from bedrock called Shawangunk Conglomerate, also known as Shawangunk Grit. Shawangunk Grit slabs were used to make millstones around the turn of the century and some of these millstones can still be seen on the land today. A nod to the history of the ridge is found in the Shawangunk Grit logo.
Event Photos by the Mohonk Preserve Volunteer Photographers: