Tires for gravel on road bike?

So lately I've been eager to take my giant defy out onto gravel paths like the trans canada trail on burnaby mountain. I'm wondering if it's possible to buy a thicker tire that will fit on the road bike.

Possible? bad for bike?

Thanks

depends on clearance. if it's a "racy" road bike, you probably can't fit anything knobby. if you can fit fenders easily, I'm sure you could fit something in there.

Cyclocross tires?

Not a chance a nobbie tire will fit.. The best tire for that is a hard case tire like a gatorskin.

stock tire is 700x25c, i'm measuring about a half centimeter clearance on the fork

I have been running 28c Conti Grand Prix's for an all around training tire and it handles Richmond dykes and UBC Endowment Lands gravel just fine. Gatorskin are good too.

get a mountain bike

get a mountain bike

Got two ;)

Those continentals seem like good choices, though a little pricy.

Got two ;)

Sell one and buy Cross bike. Problem solved.

Sell one and buy Cross bike. Problem solved.

second best opotion

Aha advice taken.
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=147176

For a cheaper (than a Gatorskin) durable tire the Schwalbe Marathon is a good thick sidewall touring tire available in smaller sizes – but you'll pay a weight penalty for it.

If clearance is an issue, Kenda Karves go down all the way to a 23c, same with the Halo Twin Rail Courier, I believe. That said, you can pry my Gatorskins from my cold, dead hands.

hard to go wrong with the gators. I'm not a prolific road rider, but I run 'em and don't hesitate to recommend them.

had a less mechanically inclined customer buy a pair and come back 2 months later with a rear flat. turned out he didn't check his air pressure and pinch flatted on a pot hole. he just got flats so often previously that the pressure never dropped enough to be an issue.