Many of Vermont’s best trails have been born out of private-public partnerships, and the next best trail in the state is following the same formula. The aptly-named Stowe Trails Partnership (STP) is partnering with the Rooney family to build an all-new MTB trail system on their family farm.
The Rooneys moved to their 350-acre farm in the 1950s and began sugaring the maple trees and working the land. Over 70 years later, the property is still a working farm, and they’ve built a business selling their handmade in Vermont maple syrup and dairy products in their farm store. In recent years, they’ve diversified into agritourism by building a cabin on the farm and hosting visitors via websites like Hipcamp.
The Rooneys plan to diversify further by building more huts on their property along a future section of the Velomont Trail. When they began talking with Vermont Huts and the Velomont, they were connected with STP, and the partnership took a big step forward.
Not just a trail segment, but an entirely new trail system
Instead of simply building a segment of the Velomont, the STP plans to create an entirely new trail system on Rooney Farm, boasting 10-15 miles of brand-new singletrack. The STP currently manages 40 miles of top-tier singletrack, so adding 15 miles would be a massive 38% increase in their total trail mileage.
This new trail system will give the STP a chance to meet their members’ needs. “Every single year we send out a membership survey, they’re asking for beginner trails and advanced trails,” said Kenzie Brunner, Executive Director for the STP. “This parcel lends itself perfectly to being around 50% advanced trails. So we’re really excited to bring progression in terms of both flow and jumps, but also progression in terms of technical abilities to this parcel, and then also give everyone an opportunity by creating some really beautiful beginner areas, some skills areas, and turning the parking meeting space into a true third space with skills area, family hanging out, all of that fun stuff.”
The vision for this new trail system was inspired by the incredible trail development at networks like Sentiers du Moulin in Quebec City, which I reported on earlier this year. Sentiers du Moulin, Empire 47, and Vallee Bras-du-Nord provide incredible base-area amenities to the point that each trail system is a destination in its own right. Riders travel to the trail networks, ride, and spend the rest of the day hanging out and socializing, thanks to small restaurants and outdoor bars at the trailhead. Rooney Farm will be able to provide similar amenities for riders.
Part of Rooney Farm’s destination appeal is its location 10 minutes outside Stowe, which means many riders will need to drive to the trailhead. However, Brunner was quick to note that “part of Stowe Trails’ strategic mission is connectivity, and you can get to this parcel by bike […] through Sterling Valley, which is currently our most northern network.”
What trails will they build first?
Construction has not yet begun on Rooney Farm, but design is underway. STP has brought in Hardy Avery to do the design and layout of the new trail system. Locals know Avery well: he grew up down the road from the farm and was one of the founding members of the STP. Avery “did a lot of the historic mapping and design of the rest of the 40 miles of trail that we maintain,” said Brunner. This is a homecoming of sorts, as Avery has since moved to southern Vermont. “So it really feels great to have him come back up to help out with this,” Brunner added.
Brunner estimates that it will take five years to build out the entire network. So what trails will they build first?
“It’s going to be on one end of the spectrum,” she said. “It’s not going to be an intermediate [trail]. That is what we have in all of the rest of our network. We have that covered. But it’s really up to our board at the end of the day, of which one seems more feasible to do first. So either a true beginner or a true advanced.”
Brunner said that they hope to build one bottom-to-top climbing trail and one top-to-bottom descent in 2026.
Contractors and funding
While STP will likely contract parts of the build to renowned local trail builders like Tom Lepesquer and Knight Ide, they also want to use this new trail construction to give their local volunteers and builders — some of whom might be renegade trail builders — a legitimate trail building outlet. “The goal is to create a variety,” said Brunner.
STP aims to raise $200,000 to fund about half of the trail build-out, not including the parking area, pump tracks, and other infrastructure. “So we’ll be doing a ton of fundraising, a ton of grants, all that fun stuff, and getting our community really involved in that way.”
A quintessential Vermont experience
Combining world-class MTB trails with locally-produced farm products — what could be more quintessentially Vermont? World-class riding and locally made farm products are two of Vermont’s strongest tourism draws, and they could turn Rooney Farm into a widely regarded agritourism destination.
“Yeah, get your cheese while you’re out at the trailhead,” Brunner added with a laugh.
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