May 11th, 2024 | by Peggy Shinn
Welcome to our 9th edition of Quench'd!
Growing up, we had this expression in my family: "find the new within the known." Whenever we found a new trail, new coffee shop, or activity within our hometown that we knew so well, we had found a "new within the known." It's an expression that celebrates the richness of a place and a sense of having fun exploring an area you know so well.
Today, Peggy's story exemplifies that expression to me. She highlights some lesser-known mountain bike trails in Vermont that are just as fun to ride as the very well-known Kingdom Trails. I especially agree with her suggestion of the TAM! Chipman Hill is a can't miss in that network.
-Keaton
Whenever mountain biking friends want to come to Vermont, they ask about the Kingdom Trails. And rightly so. The KTA — celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024 — has built and maintains over 100+ miles of trails.
But the KTA is not the only place in Vermont with destination-worthy mountain biking.
During the pandemic, as a “stay-cation,” we decided to ride all the trail networks in Vermont — beyond the KTA. But when I pulled up Trailforks to lay out a plan, I found far more trail networks than I’d expected. Around my house in Rutland alone, there are 13 networks within a 30-minute drive — totaling over 300 miles of singletrack. We could go on a mountain bike vacation without even packing a suitcase!
From the Canadian border to the Massachusetts state line, I found 65 MTB trail networks in Vermont — everything from the huge KTA in the Northeast Kingdom to a 20-mile network of green beginner trails at Brattleboro’s Retreat Farm.
As we began chiseling away at the list, I soon realized that nothing yet existed explaining which network would be good for whom: beginners or experts, or those looking for weeeee or — maybe most importantly — those not looking for weeeeee!
Four years later, we’re not yet halfway through the list. But here are a few recommendations from what we’ve ridden so far.
Welcome to our 9th edition of Quench'd!
Growing up, we had this expression in my family: "find the new within the known." Whenever we found a new trail, new coffee shop, or activity within our hometown that we knew so well, we had found a "new within the known." It's an expression that celebrates the richness of a place and a sense of having fun exploring an area you know so well.
Today, Peggy's story exemplifies that expression to me. She highlights some lesser-known mountain bike trails in Vermont that are just as fun to ride as the very well-known Kingdom Trails. I especially agree with her suggestion of the TAM! Chipman Hill is a can't miss in that network.
-Keaton
Whenever mountain biking friends want to come to Vermont, they ask about the Kingdom Trails. And rightly so. The KTA — celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024 — has built and maintains over 100+ miles of trails.
But the KTA is not the only place in Vermont with destination-worthy mountain biking.
During the pandemic, as a “stay-cation,” we decided to ride all the trail networks in Vermont — beyond the KTA. But when I pulled up Trailforks to lay out a plan, I found far more trail networks than I’d expected. Around my house in Rutland alone, there are 13 networks within a 30-minute drive — totaling over 300 miles of singletrack. We could go on a mountain bike vacation without even packing a suitcase!
From the Canadian border to the Massachusetts state line, I found 65 MTB trail networks in Vermont — everything from the huge KTA in the Northeast Kingdom to a 20-mile network of green beginner trails at Brattleboro’s Retreat Farm.
As we began chiseling away at the list, I soon realized that nothing yet existed explaining which network would be good for whom: beginners or experts, or those looking for weeeee or — maybe most importantly — those not looking for weeeeee!
Four years later, we’re not yet halfway through the list. But here are a few recommendations from what we’ve ridden so far.
For anyone who likes old-school challenge — in other words, narrow hand-built singletrack that more closely resembles a hiking trail than MTB terrain and with lots and lots of climbing — try:
For anyone who likes old-school challenge — in other words, narrow hand-built singletrack that more closely resembles a hiking trail than MTB terrain and with lots and lots of climbing — try:
In our quest to ride every trail network in Vermont, we have not shied away from small town networks built more for the locals than to attract tourists. Along the way, we discovered some great trails worth the trip. It’s a list we hope continues to grow.
So where should we head to next?? Suggestions welcome!
In our quest to ride every trail network in Vermont, we have not shied away from small town networks built more for the locals than to attract tourists. Along the way, we discovered some great trails worth the trip. It’s a list we hope continues to grow.
So where should we head to next?? Suggestions welcome!
Last summer, huge swaths of the United States were covered by smoke billowing down from Canadian wildfires. Images of New York City in an orange haze were apocalyptic, and air quality alerts were rampant, urging the young, old, and those with respiratory problems to stay inside. But did those air quality alerts apply to us — healthy cyclists with big lung capacities? We are like letter carriers, with neither rain, sleet, hail nor snow keeping us from training. But should we heed air quality alerts?
"I wasn't so sure about receiving a newsletter from a water bottle company. But every one I've read has been great! Keep up the great work!"
