Gravel · Steamboat Springs, Colorado · since 2019
SBT GRVL
Race and ride day is Sunday, June 27, 2027. The expo and other activities run June 25–26.
What is the SBT GRVL?
SBT GRVL is a one-day gravel race and ride that starts and finishes on Yampa Street in downtown Steamboat Springs, Colorado, on the last weekend of June. Four courses run from 25 to 108 miles on Routt County ranch roads, with the 108-mile Black course carrying 8,189 feet of climbing. Founded in 2019, it sold 2,750 spots in 2026 and is permitted for 3,000 in 2027. Entry is by lottery each October; the next edition is June 25–27, 2027, with race day on Sunday the 27th.
Entry is by random selection. For 2027: early access October 1–8, 2026 for 2026 volunteers, deferred riders, juniors, survey winners and parity initiatives; open random-selection registration October 14–31, 2026, with notification November 5. Fees are not refundable and entries cannot be transferred. Deferrals to 2028 must be requested by May 22, 2027.
- Next edition
- Usually
- Last weekend of June (2026 was June 26–28)
- Start
- Yampa Street at 10th Street, downtown Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Steamboat Springs, Colorado - Distances
- Black — 108 miles — The race course. 8,189 ft of climbing, about 70% gravel, 7 aid stations.
- Blue — 73 miles — Ride. 5,843 ft of climbing, about 65% gravel, 6 aid stations.
- Red — 53 miles — Ride. 4,198 ft of climbing, about 52% gravel.
- Green — 25 miles — Ride. 1,822 ft of climbing, about 31% gravel; the beginner and e-bike friendly option.
- Terrain
- Ranch-country gravel in Routt County: smooth 'champagne' gravel, chunky Cow Creek, steep loose sections on the Black course, and climbs above 7,000 feet.
- Climbing
- 8,189 ft on the longest route
- Riders
- 2,750 in 2026 (2,000 riders plus 750 racers); Routt County approved a 3,000-rider cap for 2027
- Cost
- Black $295, Blue $275, Red $275, Green $200 (2027 pricing; juniors 50% off, tandems 2x)
- Founded
- 2019 by Amy Charity, Mark Satkiewicz and Ken Benesh. Charity is a former professional road racer; Satkiewicz and Benesh came from Smartwool in Steamboat. Satkiewicz died in 2020.
How the SBT GRVL started
SBT GRVL was started in Steamboat Springs by Amy Charity, Mark Satkiewicz and Ken Benesh and first ran in August 2019. Charity had raced professionally on the road; Satkiewicz had been president of Smartwool, and Benesh worked with him there. The first edition sold out at about 1,200 riders and offered 141-, 100- and 37-mile courses. After the organizers added 200 women's spots, nearly 30 percent of the field was female.
Satkiewicz died in 2020. Benesh described the event as 'a community built on things Mark believed in: inclusiveness, love, and parity,' and a memorial fund was set up in his name. The event kept a stated mission of giving back to the Routt County ranching community and local youth.
The race grew to about 3,000 riders by 2024, which strained the county. In 2025 it split into two days: 1,800 riders in Steamboat plus 750 racers on a second day in Hayden. For 2026 it returned to a single Sunday with 2,750 total, and routes were redrawn to avoid U.S. 40. In 2026 Routt County commissioners approved a permit for 2027 with 3,000 riders, and the 2027 edition will be the eighth.
What to expect on the day
Everything starts at Yampa and 10th Street downtown. Elite men roll at 5:45 a.m. and elite women at 5:50; amateur waves follow five minutes apart, with 2027 start times posted once finalized. The expo runs Friday and Saturday before the Sunday race.
The Black course is 108 miles with 8,189 feet of climbing on roughly 70 percent gravel, including Cow Creek, Trout Creek and steep, loose sections. Blue (73 miles), Red (53) and Green (25) are rides, not races. Aid stations: seven on Black, six on Blue, four on Red, one on Green. Cutoffs are strict; if you miss one you are sent onto the next shorter course.
The town sits at 6,867 feet and the courses climb past 7,000, so altitude is the hidden difficulty. Registration is a random draw each October, so plan lodging early; downtown motels on Lincoln Avenue put you a few blocks from the start.
Weather in Steamboat Springs for the SBT GRVL
Late June in Steamboat Springs is warm and dry: June averages a high of about 75°F and a low of about 42°F, and it is the month with the fewest wet days (about 5.4). Starts are cold at altitude, and afternoon thunderstorms are still possible.
Loading the forecast for Steamboat Springs…
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Times are local to Steamboat Springs.
The town
Sleep, eat, fix the bike.
Steamboat Springs is a ski and ranching town of about 13,000 people at 6,867 feet in Routt County, northwest Colorado, about 157 miles from Denver. It calls itself Bike Town USA, holds a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community rating, and hosts SBT GRVL, a gravel race and ride that starts on Yampa Street downtown each June. Cyclists come for the county's gravel ranch roads, the Yampa River Core Trail and the Steamboat Bike Park.
Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN) in Hayden is 22 miles west of town with seasonal and year-round commercial service. Denver International is about 160 miles east; the drive from Denver is about 157 miles and 2 hours 45 minutes over Rabbit Ears Pass, and GO Alpine runs shared shuttles from DIA. A car is useful but not required for SBT GRVL if you stay downtown; the start is on Yampa Street.
SBT GRVL FAQ
How do I get in?
Through the random-selection window, October 14–31, 2026, with results emailed November 5. Volunteers, deferred riders and juniors get an early-access window October 1–8.
Which course should I pick?
Black (108 mi) is the race with strict cutoffs. Blue (73), Red (53) and Green (25) are rides. Green is the beginner and e-bike option.
How much gravel is it?
About 70 percent on Black, 65 on Blue, 52 on Red and 31 on Green. Most of it is smooth county road; Cow Creek is the rough part.
Can I get a refund or transfer my entry?
No. Fees are non-refundable and entries cannot be transferred. You can defer to 2028 by May 22, 2027, and you pay 2028 fees when you claim the spot.
How do I get to Steamboat?
Fly into Yampa Valley Regional (HDN), 22 miles away, or drive about 157 miles and 2 hours 45 minutes from Denver.
Sources · 12 pages we read
- sbtgrvl.com https://www.sbtgrvl.com/
- sbtgrvl.com https://www.sbtgrvl.com/registration-deferrals
- sbtgrvl.com https://www.sbtgrvl.com/rulesandfaqs
- sbtgrvl.com https://www.sbtgrvl.com/2027courses
- sbtgrvl.com https://www.sbtgrvl.com/about
- steamboatpilot.com https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/sbt-grvl-to-return-in-2026-as-1-day-event-with-2750-rider-cap/
- ryanmtb.substack.com https://ryanmtb.substack.com/p/sbt-grvl-receives-event-permit-for
- outdoorsportswire.com https://www.outdoorsportswire.com/sbt-grvl-returns-to-one-day-format-and-introduces-new-courses-for-2026/
- feedthehabit.com https://www.feedthehabit.com/road-biking/2019-sbt-grvl-blue-course-recap/
- snewsnet.com https://www.snewsnet.com/people/mark-satkiewicz-smartwool-dies-52
- steamboatchamber.com https://www.steamboatchamber.com/plan-your-trip/getting-here/
- weatherspark.com https://weatherspark.com/y/3376/Average-Weather-in-Steamboat-Springs-Colorado-United-States-Year-Round
Facts checked September 15, 2026. Dates and prices come from the organizer and change. Confirm on the official site before you book anything.
