United States·2026

Dubuque, IA

Dubuque's rolling terrain in Iowa's Driftless region makes it a stronghold for gravel and road cycling, with the Fall Foliage & Ferry Fondo and Ride the Driftless drawing riders into forested hills and river valleys around the Mississippi. Runners find flatter ground along the Heritage Trail for races like the MVRA Heritage Trail Run, though the surrounding bluffs and state parks offer genuine elevation gain within easy reach of downtown. The region's mix of river bottomland and 200m-plus climbs in the nearby countryside appeals equally to runners seeking hill work and cyclists hunting gravel routes through the glacially-carved landscape.