A
gravel road is a type of
unpaved road surfaced with
gravel that has been brought to the site from a
quarry or
stream bed. They are common in less-developed nations, and also in the rural areas of developed nations such as
Canada and the
United States. In New Zealand, and other
Commonwealth countries, they may be known as
'metal roads'. They may be referred to as 'dirt roads' in common speech, but that term is used more for
unimproved roads with no surface material added. If well constructed and maintained, a gravel road is an all-weather road.