COURSE PREVIEW · GRAVEL · EMPORIA, KANSAS

Unbound Gravel XL course preview

The 2026 Unbound Gravel XL course is 356.0 mi (573.0 km) and finishes where it starts, with 13,653 ft of climbing. RideMorrow finds 44 distinct climbs and 31 descents; the listed climbs account for 32% of the total ascent, and the rest comes from shorter rollers. The hardest climb by FIETS score starts at 77.4 mi: 0.98 mi at an average 4.7%, peaking at 10.0% over 100 m. The longest is 1.12 mi, starting at 257.4 mi. The first quarter holds the most climbing (30%).

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CourseClimbsStart

Distance: 356.0 mi573.0 km
Elevation gain: 13,653 ft4,162 m
Climbs: 4431 descents
Steepest 100 m: 12.9%On a listed climb
Corners: 32433 technical
High point: 1,663 ftLow 1,070 ft

Elevation profile

Shaded: every listed climb. Numbered: the hardest.

First quarter4,064 ft0 mi–89 mi

Second quarter3,061 ft89 mi–178 mi

Third quarter3,326 ft178 mi–267 mi

Final quarter3,202 ft267 mi–356 mi

The 5 hardest climbs

Ranked by FIETS score

1
Climb 15 · from 77.4 mi0.98 mi · 242 ft up · 4.7% average, 10.0% steepest
0.3
2
Climb 42 · from 330.2 mi0.40 mi · 132 ft up · 6.3% average, 7.5% steepest
0.3
3
Climb 2 · from 22.1 mi0.73 mi · 148 ft up · 3.8% average, 9.0% steepest
0.2
4
Climb 39 · from 319.6 mi0.29 mi · 96 ft up · 6.2% average, 8.4% steepest
0.2
5
Climb 1 · from 9.2 mi0.80 mi · 100 ft up · 2.4% average, 7.1% steepest
0.1

Every climb, in ride order

44 climbs · top 5 highlighted

Climb	Starts at	Length	Elevation gain	Avg grade	Steepest 100 m	FIETS
1	9.2 mi	0.80 mi	100 ft	2.4%	7.1%	0.1
2	22.1 mi	0.73 mi	148 ft	3.8%	9.0%	0.2
3	26.7 mi	0.62 mi	90 ft	2.7%	7.4%	0.1
4	29.5 mi	0.42 mi	102 ft	4.6%	9.0%	0.1
5	32.2 mi	0.42 mi	66 ft	3.0%	5.2%	0.1
6	34.8 mi	0.35 mi	77 ft	4.1%	5.6%	0.1
7	37.0 mi	0.35 mi	76 ft	4.1%	5.0%	0.1
8	37.5 mi	0.81 mi	134 ft	3.1%	9.8%	0.1
9	38.5 mi	0.59 mi	78 ft	2.5%	4.4%	0.1
10	45.3 mi	0.34 mi	91 ft	5.0%	7.4%	0.1
11	50.1 mi	0.27 mi	72 ft	5.0%	10.5%	0.1
12	55.9 mi	0.82 mi	96 ft	2.2%	6.5%	0.1
13	61.0 mi	0.63 mi	106 ft	3.2%	12.9%	0.1
14	70.8 mi	0.70 mi	108 ft	2.9%	6.0%	0.1
15	77.4 mi	0.98 mi	242 ft	4.7%	10.0%	0.3
16	84.1 mi	0.50 mi	79 ft	3.0%	6.3%	0.1
17	86.8 mi	0.66 mi	102 ft	2.9%	6.3%	0.1
18	88.1 mi	0.47 mi	89 ft	3.6%	6.6%	0.1
19	107.9 mi	0.45 mi	75 ft	3.1%	8.0%	0.1
20	113.3 mi	0.60 mi	90 ft	2.9%	3.8%	0.1
21	126.8 mi	0.70 mi	80 ft	2.2%	6.2%	0.1
22	127.9 mi	0.65 mi	71 ft	2.1%	6.3%	0.0
23	128.9 mi	0.40 mi	79 ft	3.7%	8.8%	0.1
24	136.9 mi	0.60 mi	123 ft	3.9%	7.7%	0.1
25	163.4 mi	0.57 mi	72 ft	2.4%	5.4%	0.1
26	167.1 mi	1.03 mi	140 ft	2.6%	6.4%	0.1
27	168.9 mi	0.27 mi	67 ft	4.8%	6.7%	0.1
28	210.9 mi	1.04 mi	112 ft	2.0%	5.7%	0.1
29	226.3 mi	0.83 mi	123 ft	2.8%	8.3%	0.1
30	227.7 mi	0.30 mi	71 ft	4.5%	9.4%	0.1
31	228.8 mi	0.73 mi	87 ft	2.3%	9.8%	0.1
32	241.4 mi	0.55 mi	78 ft	2.7%	7.5%	0.1
33	256.2 mi	0.48 mi	74 ft	2.9%	4.3%	0.1
34	257.4 mi	1.12 mi	140 ft	2.4%	5.9%	0.1
35	275.4 mi	0.55 mi	93 ft	3.2%	6.7%	0.1
36	289.5 mi	0.61 mi	85 ft	2.6%	7.3%	0.1
37	291.5 mi	0.27 mi	70 ft	4.9%	9.3%	0.1
38	318.7 mi	0.66 mi	92 ft	2.6%	6.3%	0.1
39	319.6 mi	0.29 mi	96 ft	6.2%	8.4%	0.2
40	322.2 mi	0.80 mi	137 ft	3.2%	8.0%	0.1
41	323.8 mi	0.87 mi	143 ft	3.1%	9.4%	0.1
42	330.2 mi	0.40 mi	132 ft	6.3%	7.5%	0.3
43	332.3 mi	0.44 mi	99 ft	4.3%	6.8%	0.1
44	333.7 mi	0.52 mi	68 ft	2.5%	4.1%	0.1

Descents

31 descents drop 3,251 ft in total. The steepest:

Descent 5 · from 72.1 mi 0.55 mi at 4.7% average, 12.8% at its steepest
Descent 14 · from 161.4 mi 1.65 mi at 2.0% average, 9.6% at its steepest
Descent 13 · from 130.1 mi 0.48 mi at 4.6% average, 9.3% at its steepest
Descent 15 · from 169.4 mi 0.71 mi at 3.7% average, 8.5% at its steepest
Descent 22 · from 255.2 mi 0.86 mi at 2.9% average, 8.2% at its steepest

Corners

324 corners detected from the course geometry, 25 of them on a descent.

5 Very technical
28 Technical
151 Moderate
140 Gentle

Technical corners on descents

44.8 mi 86° right turn on a 5.5% approach · Technical
162.5 mi 78° left bend on a 6.3% approach · Technical
219.3 mi 40° right bend on a 6.2% approach · Technical
219.4 mi 38° left bend on a 3.7% approach · Technical
220.9 mi 34° left bend on a 3.9% approach · Technical
315.7 mi 84° right turn on a 3.7% approach · Technical

Corners describe the line on the map, not road conditions. Sightlines, grip and traffic aren't known.

Unbound Gravel XL course FAQ

How much climbing is in the Unbound Gravel XL?

13,653 ft (4,162 m) over 356.0 mi, measured from the organizer's course file with the elevation smoothed and small fluctuations ignored. Other tools may show a different total because they count every small rise.

How many climbs does the Unbound Gravel XL have?

44 climbs of at least 300 m with 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade, plus shorter rollers. Together the listed climbs gain 4,350 ft.

What is the hardest climb in the Unbound Gravel XL?

Climb 15, starting at 77.4 mi: 0.98 mi gaining 242 ft at an average 4.7%. Its FIETS score is 0.3.

What is the longest climb in the Unbound Gravel XL?

Climb 34, 1.12 mi from 257.4 mi, averaging 2.4%.

How steep does the Unbound Gravel XL get?

The steepest 100 m on a listed climb averages 12.9%. Grades are measured over 100 m, so short ramps can be steeper.

Where does this course data come from?

From the course Life Time publishes on its official site (https://www.unboundgravel.com/routes/), retrieved 2026-10-12. Organizers change courses, so check their site before the event.

Source and method

Course: 2026 UNBOUND Gravel 350 Mile, published by Life Time. Retrieved 2026-10-12. RideMorrow is not affiliated with the event. Organizers change courses, so check the official site before the event.

Elevation comes from the route file, resampled every 10 m and smoothed. Climbs and descents need at least 300 m of length, 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade. Grades are measured over 100 m. Climbs are ranked by FIETS score: height² ÷ (length × 10), both in metres, without the index's high-altitude bonus. A score of 1 is a solid climb; 5 and above is a mountain pass. Weather, surface conditions, traffic and closures are not included.

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