***For 2019 there are both paved and gravel route options.***
Main Cottonwood 200 Routes
The maps below show the principal routes of the ride. These routes follow paved secondary roads and will feature SAG (rest) stops approximately every 15 miles, along with roving sweep support.
This is the Day 1 route for the 2019 Cottonwood 200. The route follows paved roads, starting at Washburn University in Topeka, KS and finishing at Council Grove High School in Council Grove. Starting elevation: 937 ft. Max elevation: 1,569 ft., Gain: 2,443 ft. Average grade: 2%. There is one Cat 5 climb on the route.
*This is the Day 1 EXTENDED OPTION route for the 2019 Cottonwood 200. It is for those riders who would like an additional 13.2 miles on their first day. It is entirely optional and riders will need to self-sag while passing through the town of Alma. The route follows paved roads, starting at Washburn University in Topeka and finishing at Council Grove High School in Council Grove. Starting elevation: 937 ft. Max elevation: 1,569 ft. Gain: 2,861 ft. Average grade: 2.1%. There is one Cat 5 climb on the route.
This is the Day 2 route of the 2019 Cottonwood 200. It follows paved roads in an out-and-back route from Council Grove to Cottonwood Falls, KS and back. Starting elevation: 1,255 ft. Max elevation: 1,499 ft. Gain: 774 ft.
The is the Day 3 route of the 2019 Cottonwood 200. It follows paved roads, starting from Council Grove High School in Council Grove, KS and finishing at Washburn University in Topeka. Starting elevation: 1,255 ft. Max elevation: 1,460 ft. Gain: 1,219 ft.
Gravel Option Routes
The 2019 Cottonwood 200 has gravel options on all three days. On days 1 and 3, this means a portion of the ride will be on gravel or Flint Hills Nature Trail and a portion on the main, paved route. On Day 2, almost the entire route is either gravel or Flint Hills Nature Trail. Riders choosing this option must understand that it is not possible to provide SAG support on the gravel or Trail portions of the route, and riders must be able to self-SAG for those portions. SAG support will be available on the paved portions of Day 1 and 3.
This is Day 1 of the 2019 Cottonwood 200 ride, with a gravel option of 31 miles starting in Eskridge, Kansas. This option will follow the main paved route for 35 miles, then switch to gravel, covering the old K-4 highway from Eskridge to Council Grove. The overall route begins at Washburn University in Topeka and ends at Council Grove High School in Council Grove. There is no SAG support on the gravel portion of this route. Starting elevation: 937 ft. Max elevation: 1,602 ft. Gain: 2,134 ft.
This is Day 2 of the 2019 Cottonwood 200, a round trip from Council Grove to Cottonwood Falls and back. This is the gravel option – beginning on the Flint Hills Nature Trail then switching to gravel roads. It cuts through the heart of the Flint Hills. There is no SAG support on this portion of the route, and riders must be able to self-SAG for this portion. Starting elevation: 1,255 ft. Max elevation: 1,479 ft. Gain: 1,464 ft.
This is the gravel option for Day 3 of the 2019 Cottonwood 200, traveling from Council Grove to Topeka, KS. It follows the Flint Hills Nature trail for an initial 39 miles of gravel to Osage City, then joins the paved route to Topeka. There is no SAG service on the gravel portions of this route. Starting elevation: 1,255 ft. Max elevation: 1,465 ft. Gain: 1,655.