BEAR HOWARD
GRAVEL RACE
100, 60 & 30 miles of high-desert gravel at 7,000 feet — start and finish in downtown Flagstaff, finish line at Lowell Observatory.
SAT · AUG 1, 2026
Field capped at 300 riders
SABLE EVENTS
FLAGSTAFF, AZ
7000K FT
DATE
AUG 1st, 2026
Saturday - 6:30am Start Time
WHERE
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA
400 W Elm St
DISTANCE OPTIONS
100 / 60 / 30
Miles of gravel
FIELD LIMIT
300 RIDERS
Reg closes Jul 29
GRAVEL CURIOUS
30
MILES
Fast, fun, and easy to follow if you're new to the sport. Every legend starts somewhere — this is where you taste the high mountain air
START TIME
BEST FOR
SURFACE
8:15 AM
FIRST-TIMERS
MOSTLY GRAVEL (EASY)
$45
EARLY BIRD PRICE
THE CROWN JEWEL
100
MILES
A real gravel century — mostly dirt, a cool stretch of singletrack, and just over 6,000 ft of climbing up Saddle Mountain. A test of your mettle.
START TIME
6:00 AM
ELEVATION CLIMB
SURFACE
~6000 FT
MOSTLY GRAVEL
$85
EARLY BIRD PRICE
THE SWEET SPOT
60
START TIME
VIBE
MILES
The perfect blend of racing and fun — captures some of the best parts of the 100 course without the full century commitment.
8:00 AM
RACE & ADVENTURE
SURFACE
MOSTLY GRAVEL
$65
EARLY BIRD PRICE
Got a young rider? Junior 60 ($55) and Junior 30 ($45) categories are scored separately. · Discounted entry through June 30, 2026.
WHO WAS BEAR HOWARD?
A BEAR OF A MAN
It turns out, Flagstaff did have a raucous period around the time the railroad reached Flagstaff in August of 1882. We transformed into a Wild West boomtown, complete with gunfights and brawls. We love the spirit of the west and this is our homage to an Arizona legend.
Jessie “Bear” Howard who was, a bear of a man. At 6’4” it was said he could “whip just about anyone” even in his twilight years. The stories inflated and outgrew the man, but like the extinction of Arizona’s grizzly he so lustily aided, Bear’s end in 1910 marked the end of an era…..until now!
In the spirit of adventure and exploration, like Bear Howard himself, we came up with this event to leave you feeling legendary (if only in your own mind).
Sure the stories that follow around the campfire will be exaggerated and inflated, fueled by whiskey and grandeur, but we promise you adventure and a good time with this classic ride in the shadow of Flagstaffs peaks. Bear Howard Gravel ride is as unique as the story that made up the west!
FAQ’S
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Yes! While we embrace the spirit of the frontier, we recognize we are in the 21st century. We have upped our game in course marking and will have arrows ribbon and paint on the road to show you the way. Also a GPS files.
Files Here-
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45220429 -100
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No. We will not be offering refunds or comp'd entries for the next year of any kind. We work very hard to put on a quality event for all of our riders, and amazing events cost a tremendous amount of time and money to organize. Sorry but this isn’t an easy gig.
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Support crews make the ride more fun, but they’re definitely not required. We will offer neutral water, nutrition and snacks at the three aid stations for the 100, 2 for the 60 and 1 for the 30.…..so pack accordingly.
Aid stations are located
Aid station #1 for 100 and 60 mile- Here
Aid station #2 for the 100 mile - Here
Aid station #3 for the 100, and #2 for the 60 and #1 for the 30 -Here
*Be Kind to the aid volunteers, they are not your personal mechanic or even your personal support, they are friendly and will assist how they can, so be aware they are also assisting other racers.
If you have dietary restrictions, please consider packing enough food on your bike for the entire ride.
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Did Not Finish. That’s okay, there is always next year and now you know what to expect!
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Yes. The course will be fully marked with large green and yellow signs at every turn and questionable intersections. Full GPS maps are available to download above. But please make yourself familiar with the course and major intersections or turns, we do the best we can and continue to improve but missing turns happen.
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Packet Pick up and late registration will be Friday from 3-6pm in the parking lot of SOSTA, Flagstaffs newest eating establishment. Please be aware there are very few parking spaces in the parking lot but along San Francisco, Leroux, Dale and Elm. They have just opened up for dinner so a great place to stay and have your pre-race meal!
Location HERE
413 N San Francisco, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 -
5:30 am - 7:15 am is final chance for packet pick up if you were unable to make it Friday night.
6:15 am- at Flagstaff High School for the 100.
6:30 am mass start for 100
7:45 racer meeting for the 60 mi. 8 a.m. race start for the 60 mi
8:15 30 mile race start
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HECK YA! We have great food, bars, coffee, is there really anything else. On Saturday your friends or family are more than invited to meet you at the finish line which again is atop Lowell Observatory. This year they have a brand new state of the art visitors center and we will be offering up a Bear Howard discount to take advantage of.
If they are ambitious and just don’t want to race, the Grand Canyon one of the worlds wonders is just a short hour and 30 minutes away. If they want to hike or run or adventure Flagstaff has some of the best trails in N. Arizona. Bring your crew, they will love it.
RULES
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You know what that means. Don’t cheat, cut the course, punch the guy next to you in the finish line chute, yelling at volunteers etc. This is supposed to fun remember!
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For the most part, stay on your side of the road. There are a few roads where you know you have to liberty to use the whole road. If you do encounter a car on the gravel roads, PLEASE get over to let them by.