Plowing gravel driveways brings some special considerations that are not present when you plow paved or cement areas. It’s possible for the plow blade to dig, which can spread gravel into the surrounding lawn and cause significant amounts of cleanup work in the spring. Careful plowing and some simple tips can minimize this possibility, yet still allow you to clear snow off the drive.
Install shoes on the plow and adjust them approximately 1/2 inch above the ground to avoid digging deeply into the gravel or the surrounding yard while plowing. Plowing gravel driveways with the plow blade all the way down on the ground can lead to large portions of the driveway gravel ending up in the lawn by spring.
Manage the snow by making sure you push it to areas that won't be problematic later. Plowing snow isn’t just about moving it off of where you want to drive. Be sure in the first couple snowfalls of the season to push snow banks back far enough to allow for room to push future snowfalls. Failure to do this can cause restriction points to develop through a heavy winter when there is no longer a good place to pile snow. In some cases, it may become necessary to bring in other equipment such as a front end loader to actually remove snow from areas to allow plowing to again be effective.