Scotti Lechuga, director of the Arkansas Graveler, speaks at a press conference at Lake Wilson in Fayetteville on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)A brand new cycling event will send riders 336 miles along the state’s northern gravel roads from Fayetteville to Jonesboro.
The Arkansas Graveler is set for June 23-29, 2024 and features a route that begins on the University of Arkansas campus and travels through Oark, Jasper, Marshall, Mountain View and Cave City before finishing at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
The six-day event, founded by the Ozark Foundation, was formally announced Thursday during a press conference held along the shores of Lake Wilson at the end of a gravel road that’s popular amongst gravel cyclists in Fayetteville.
“We’re here today to announce what I believe will become a legacy event in Arkansas,” said Scotti Lechuga, a former professional cyclist who serves as the director of the Arkansas Graveler. “I have raced all around the world and I can say that Arkansas is one of the most epic places to ride a gravel bike.”
A Springdale native, Lechuga in 2021 became the first woman to win the 1,013-mile Arkansas High Country Race, a fully self-supported event with over 80,000 feet of elevation gain that passes through gravel roads of the Ozarks, the Ouachitas, the Arkansas River Valley and the Buffalo National River corridor.
Lechuga said the event course ties together many of the scenic rural areas she’s ridden through and fallen in love with over the years.
“This route winds through some of the most iconic gravel roads in Arkansas,” said Lechuga. “But it is so much more than just what will happen on the bikes.”
Lechuga said the event is a tour, not a race, and should be considered more of a festival that travels across the state.
Daily ride distances will vary between 40-60 miles, she said, depending on the difficulty of the terrain.
“And the terrain is hard,” said Lechuga. “We are not going to sugar coat it because Arkansas is a challenging place if you love gravel.”
Aside from the bike riding, participants can also enjoy programming like farm-to-table dinners, river floats, archery, fishing and live music.
Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan speaks at a press conference at Lake Wilson in Fayetteville on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)Thursday’s event was attended by several local and state officials, including Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan.
“You have picked a wonderful spot to start your race,” Jordan said to Lechuga. “We have about 54 miles of paved trails, 56 miles of soft-surface trails, and we were named the first gold-level bicycle friendly community in Arkansas by The League of American Bicyclists.”
Also in attendance were Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders; Michael Spivey, executive director of the Ozark Foundation; Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism; and Dr. Len Frey from Arkansas State University.
About 400 riders are expected to participate in the inaugural year. Registration for the event opens Jan. 1, 2024. The cost for the full, six-day event is $950, which includes daily baggage transfer, food and beverages, entertainment, and a shuttle service back to Fayetteville. A “mini graveler” one-day option is also available for $245.
Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, speaks at a press conference at Lake Wilson in Fayetteville on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks at a press conference at Lake Wilson in Fayetteville on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. (Flyer photo/Todd Gill)
