This is what's called tar and chip, or in some rural areas, shoot and chip. It's "bird's-eye" gravel (size of a bird's eye - as opposed to larger standard pea-gravel) over an asphalt base. A binder course is used to seat the loose material in. The angularity of the bird's-eye material (NOT the rounded edges of pea-gravel) with the base course allows the top-most layer to remain loose, but the base is firm and compact. This combination makes it pleasant to drive and walk on and does not rut. Using regular (and larger/rounded) pea-gravel will give you a result that feels like you are driving/walking in quicksand. That material will rut and shifts easily, requires more maintenance (raking), and is a sure-fire way you know someone didn't know what they were doing and/or tried to cut corners.

What was the color mix of the gravel?