Red Rock Roller

About the Event

The Red Rock Roller is held in conjunction with the City of Gallup's Route 66 Rides festival. This event is not a race, but a ride meant to showcase the beauty of Red Rock Park, Route 66 and the surrounding area.

Starting from Red Rock Park, the ride begins just as the hot air balloons begin their mass ascension. From there, you'll ride on Route 66 for a few miles and watch the balloons float among the stunning red rocks. The route soon heads north to make a loop around the park, offering views of balloons drifting past Pyramid Peak and Church Rock. If the timing and weather are ideal, you should roll back into the park just as the balloons finish their flight.

A gravel or road bike is appropriate for this ride, with some parts having sections of rough pavement. Expect to ride for about 1.5 hours, depending on your ability. The event is not timed and there are no awards.

Please note that the balloon launch is weather dependent.

View the route on Ride With GPS.

Event Schedule:

6:30am -Recommended arrival time
6:40am - Balloons launch (weather dependent)
7am -Deadline to arrive
7:05am -The ride departs
8:30am - Approximate arrival back to Red Rock Park
9:15am - Sag Wagon cutoff time

Races Offered

22-Mile Loop Around the Park

Jul 25, 2026

straighten

Distance — 22 Miles

terrain

Type — Cycling

timer

07:00

sell

$0.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for July in Church Rock.

thermostat Temperature

17.5° / 31.7°

wb_sunny Feels like

14.9° / 27.2°

light_mode Avg sunshine hours

13h 14m

water_drop Avg rainfall

0.4 mm

ac_unit Avg snowfall

—

air Avg wind speed

12.2 km/h (Gentle breeze)

opacity Sweat loss rate

Moderate

terrain Course conditions

Hard and dry surface

sunny Max UV Index

Very High (8.0)

humidity_mid Humidity

27.8%

wb_twilight Sunrise

06:11

nightlight Sunset

20:27

About Church Rock

Learn more about the host city, Church Rock.

Church Rock is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,542 at the 2020 census, up from 1,128 in 2010. The community is named for Church Rock, a prominent natural landmark.