From Gravel Roads to Trail Towns: A Pathway for Rural Revitalization
A few years back, I found myself riding in the Oakridge-Westfir area at Mountain Bike Oregon. It’s the kind of place that makes you believe in second chances, not just for old logging towns, but for entire communities looking for a new way forward. The singletrack was (and is) world-class, and the ridgeline views were unforgettable. But what struck me most wasn’t the trail—it was the people. A small, tight-knit community that had weathered economic downturns and reinvested in itself through the simple act of getting people out on bikes.
That didn’t happen overnight.
If you’re a rural town dreaming about becoming the next trail destination, the reality is this: building a network of mountain bike trails is a long, bureaucratic process. It involves securing access to land, navigating environmental and zoning approvals, funding construction, and then maintaining those trails season after season. It’s not just dirt and tools. It’s diplomacy, funding cycles, and a whole lot of patience.
And yet, there’s good news.
A Proven Economic Engine
According to a 2025 report from the Trust for Public Land, the average mountain biking tourist spends $416 per visit. In some trail towns like Chequamegon, WI, that number soars above $1,000. Multiply that across multiple weekends, visitors, and events, and it’s clear why mountain biking is no longer seen as just recreation; it’s economic development on two wheels.
In Oakridge and Westfir, the pivot away from timber toward trails wasn’t just about filling a void. It was about reimagining what the town could be. After losing over 1,600 jobs when local sawmills closed, the community partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to develop a regional trails plan. The result? An influx of nonlocal riders spending upwards of $800 per trip and a network of trails that now defines the area’s identity.
But again, this didn’t happen in a year or two. It took vision, persistence, and, perhaps most critically, a community that had already started building a culture around bikes.
Start with What’s Possible
That’s where gravel cycling comes in. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as I’ve been shooting photos at gravel races across Oregon and Arizona. Each race and event is housed in small towns, some as small as 600 people.
Think about it, gravel events don’t require years of trail construction or massive capital investment. Many rural communities already have access to a network of quiet, underused county roads, forest service doubletrack, or agricultural access roads, ideal terrain for gravel riding. What they may lack in singletrack, they more than make up for in scenery, character, and grit.
Hosting a gravel event can serve as a gateway. It brings riders into town, fills local motels and diners, and starts to build the idea, internally and externally, that this is a bike town in the making. It gets people talking about bikes not as fringe or niche, but as part of the community’s future.
It also helps answer a big question many rural towns face when looking at trail development: Will anyone actually ride these?
Gravel events create a low-barrier entry point. Local residents who aren’t ready for downhill runs or technical singletrack can still be part of the scene, whether that’s riding, volunteering, spectating, or hosting out-of-town guests. It’s about starting a conversation, creating visibility, and building local buy-in before the shovels hit dirt.
Culture First, Then Trails
Culture precedes infrastructure.
Before you have trail networks, you need trail advocates. Before you open a bike shop, you need people riding. And before you apply for funding, you need momentum.
This is what gravel can offer ... a spark.
As mountain bikers and community leaders, it’s easy to get caught up in the dream of berms, bridges, and backcountry epics. But the foundation is built well before the first trailhead kiosk is installed. It’s built in local coffee shops where people talk about the ride they did last weekend. It’s built in school programs that introduce kids to bikes. It’s built in events, gravel or otherwise, that bring people together around shared adventure.
A Roadmap for Rural Towns
If you’re in a rural town wondering how to get started, here’s a simple progression:
Inventory your assets – What roads, dirt routes, or open land could be leveraged today?
Host a small gravel ride or race – Use it as a proof of concept and community builder.
Start the conversation – Talk with land managers, business owners, and residents about longer-term trail goals.
Apply for funding – Leverage the early success of your events to apply for grants, public-private partnerships, or trail development programs.
Keep building the culture – Every new rider, event, or photo shared is a building block.
You don’t need to become the next Moab. You just need to become a place where bikes belong. (I also write about this topic in our upcoming magazine issue.)
Oakridge didn’t get there by accident. And your town won’t either. But with a little vision and a few bikes on the road, it’s more possible than ever.
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
