Our Story

Who Is TransRockies?

For over two decades, TransRockies has been in the business of building legends.

From the high alpine of the original TransRockies Challenge to the singletrack sanctuaries of Singletrack 6, and the wild, wide-open rock of Moab Rocks, we’ve carved out a reputation for putting on races that leave a mark.

We don’t just put flags in the ground. We create experiences that push your limits, forge community, and stick with you long after the finish line. The Rough Rider is the next chapter in that legacy. A new kind of gravel stage race set against the dusty, pine-fringed backroads of Prescott, Arizona.

Who Is The Rough Rider?

The first year of the Rough Rider was 1898. Not the bike race, but the legends that serve as this event’s namesake.

Buckey O’Neill - a lawman, Prescott mayor, and legend – was a captain in the Rough Rider Cavalry during the Spanish-American War. Over a century later, Buckey’s legend lives on. The grit, grind, and glory he displayed while riding into battle inspired the Rough Rider Gravel Race.

At the Rough Rider you’ll ride rugged, remote, and beautifully brutal gravel. But it’s not just a race. It’s three days of grit, grind, and glory. Where the miles test your legs, and the moments between them feed your soul. It’s where strangers become teammates, and effort becomes story.

Ride Where Buckey Rode, and earn your Grit, Grind, and Glory in the desert hills of Prescott, AZ.

Built for the Experience

Each stage is crafted to challenge you – without crushing you. We showcase the best of Prescott: high desert, deep forests, and forgotten frontier roads from the Old West. Whether you’re racing the clock or simply testing your own edge, we celebrate every rider who rolls in with grit, grind, and heart.

Rooted in bike culture.

Prescott isn’t just another dot on the gravel map. It’s a town with cycling in its veins. We work shoulder-to-shoulder with local crews, small businesses, and trail stewards to keep that culture strong and sustainable.

Powered by legends behind the scenes.

This ride doesn’t happen without the folks you don’t always see. Volunteers, sweep riders, medics, aid station heroes, and more are the backbone of this experience. Treat them like family. We sure do.

Are You Ready to Ride Where Buckey Rode?

This isn’t just another gravel weekend. It’s a three-day immersion into something deeper. Into the legend of Buckey O’Neill. The legend of the Rough Rider. The legend of the Old West. It’s the kind of riding that stays with you long after the dust settles.

Come to Prescott. Ride rough. Leave a mark. Earn your grit, grind, and glory.

 

On Sustainability

We ride wild places. And we believe in leaving them better than we found them.

Here’s how we do our part:

  • Built to Last: Course signs, markers, and infrastructure is reused year after year.

  • Waste Less, Feed More: Leftover food fuels our crew and goes to local food organizations after the event – not the landfill.

  • Local First: From coffee to course tape, we source as much as we can from local businesses that keep Prescott strong.

The goal? Less waste. More good. Simple as that.