The state of Vermont is located at the northern end of the Appalachian Mountain Range, and the Green Mountains can be found within the state. According to Wikipedia, Vermont is the second-least populous state in the nation (behind Wyoming) and the largest city, Burlington, is the smallest of all cities named the largest in their respective state. Additionally, 77% of the state is covered by forests.
What does this all mean? Very few people, and lots of wild places.
Thanks to all of these deep forests, steep mountains, and wild places, there’s plenty of opportunities for epic mountain biking! Read on for a roundup of five trails that you need to ride in Vermont.
Kingdom Trails, East Burke
Kingdom Trails is the reigning monarch of trail systems in the state. With over 110 miles of trail, you can spend a long weekend riding at just this trail system, and still not explore all the trails! So it’s no wonder that we chose it as one of 10 illustrious US weekend destinations.
“I couldn’t imagine a better place to get away from everything and put on some miles! The trails are unbelievable (too many highlights to list), the scenery is amazing, the people are fantastic, and the small town vibe is very welcoming! This place made me want to quit my job, leave everything behind, and work on a farm or something in the area so I would never have to leave! If you haven’t been here yet, do yourself a favor and take a few days and explore this network of trails! While you’re there, check out East Burke Sports and The Pub Out Back. You might never leave!” -schwei
Perry Hill, Waterbury
Perry Hill is home to several loops of tight, winding singletrack. Add in a well-built pumptrack at the trailhead and several killer climbs, and as soezgg claimed, it’s a bit of a “state secret.”
“This is simply one of the best trails in the area and one of the few to have some pretty aggressive riding. The trails are maintained pretty well and feature long uphill climbs followed by amazing downhill sections. In the Perry Hill network there are four different trails that all connect back to the main trail. The trail that is marked as yellow is called Lower Loop and is probably the easiest trail on the network. The trail marked as red is called Joe’s and features a fairly short climb followed by technical downhill singletrack that flows great. The green trail is called Burning Spear and features a gradual climb on narrow singletrack which brings riders to the top of Perry Hill. Again there follows a great downhill run on Burning Spear. The last and in my opinion most challenging trail on the network is called Rastaman which is marked as blue. Rastaman features very technical descents which include sections of trail that ride next to some very steep drop offs as well as a ladder bridge that is about 10 feet off the ground. Perry Hill is a fantastic trail network that should not be missed if you are in the Waterbury/Stowe area, although, be sure to give it a good day to dry up after raining.” -AlpineSlayer
Mt. Snow, Wilmington
Mt. Snow first opened to downhill mountain biking 29 years ago, and they’ve continued to update their trails to keep abreast of changes in bike park design and technology. Berms, jumps, and bridges have joined old school rocky DH tracks, offering up one of the best downhill mountain biking experiences in the East.
“Yes Sir, these trails are good to go. Chair offers plenty of vert, especially for the east. I did not have my bike and had to rent. Jamis Bam is plenty compotent and price is fair. Great trails with great diversity. Highly recommend!” -jmboyle21
Pine Hill Park, Rutland
Rocks, bridges, and more rocks comprise the challenges found at Pine Hill Park. Even though this city park is located right on the edge of Rutland, it’s home to at least 15 miles of great trails!
“This place exceeded my expectations for a city park. I rode 10 miles here coming home from Burlington and couldn’t have asked for more. I really liked stegosaurus, overlook and svelte tiger. Jersey turnpike and broken handlebar had some technical rollers on them as well, with stegosaurus being the hardest trail in the system with short and steep rocky climbs and some rollers as well. Must ride!” -Phillychris498
Saxon Hill, Burlington
Saxon Hill is one of the best rides for Burlington locals. The trails hidden beneath the deep forests here are challenging and entertaining, and offer plenty of well-built bridges.
“It is as if this section of forest was created just for the trails Flo and Lo Flo! Great smooth, flowy trails on soft, sandy soil through the pines. This is a must ride when in the area. On of the best trails I have ridden in the east!” -Capfat
Your turn: Know of a trail that we don’t have listed in Vermont? Add it here!
