Tips to plan your Vermont mountain bike road trip
Are you searching for some tips to plan your Vermont mountain bike road trip?
Whether you’re going on a couple of days of mountain biking or a full Vermont State road trip to explore the different trails, mountain biking around Vermont is a great way to see the States in a whole new way.
Going on a road trip around Vermont is a great way to combine spending some time outdoors doing sports and also a great way to take an adventure in the area.
Vermont has many mountain biking trails to offer, which will satisfy beginners as well as expert riders.
I’ve been multiple times mountain biking in Vermont in the last couple of years and I’m also a road trip expert. So combining both is something I can easily help you plan.
In this guide, I’ve compiled every tip to plan a Vermont mountain bike road trip I could think of to help you plan yours!
Guide to Vermont mountain biking
If you’re looking for a fun experience mountain biking, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for in the Vermont mountains ranges for any type of biking you’re into. From downhill biking to enduro, xc and even beautiful cycling routes.
Vermont has over 2 250km (1 400 miles) of trails for mountain biking alone throughout the state and more are added each year.
Vermont is known as the mountain biking mecca of the east. So chances are, you won’t be disappointed to choose Vermont as your next mountain biking road trip.
How to plan your Vermont mountain bike road trip
Planning a road trip for any purpose, whether it’s for sport or to discover a new country, I always plan it in the same way. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to planning a road trip but this guideline can help you do it if you’re new to it or don’t know exactly how to plan it efficiently.
First off, I’ll choose the destination I want to travel to. In this case, you already know you’re going to Vermont for some mountain biking. Now, you’ll need to decide whether you’re going to one place in particular or if you want to try different mountain biking parks.
Think about your budget. How much money do you have to spend on this trip? This will help you pinpoint whether you’re going to stay in one place or go to multiple places on this road trip.
How many days do you have? If you only have the long weekend for this trip, you’ll want to consider maybe one or two places to go mountain biking.
Once all those questions are answered, you can then book your accommodations and transportation to get there.
Once that is all settled, you can decide the exact itinerary you are going to take. With that in mind, you can book accommodations following your set itinerary.
For a more detailed version, you can read How to plan an epic road trip here. This is a detailed guide on how to plan any type of road trip.
Bike styles
If you’re new to mountain biking, it’s important to know about the different biking styles. This way, you’ll know which trails to use and which trails to avoid depending on the type of mountain biking you practice.
Downhill:
Downhill mountain biking is practised on steep, and rough terrain. You’ll often have jumps, drops, rock gardens, and multiple obstacles throughout the course.
You’ll need to take the lift to get to the top of the mountain and then bike downhill.
Enduro:
Enduro is a mountain biking discipline where you’ll want to get down the hill as fast as possible but you’ll also have some going up the hill on the course.
The transfer sections can be anything from hiking with your bike, taking a chair lift, or riding your bike to the next downhill section.
XC:
XC or cross-country biking is a mix of rough forest paths, singletrack, smooth fire roads, and even paved roads connecting the trails.
You’ll basically be going up and down the hill on your bike.
Tips to plan your Vermont mountain bike road trip: What to wear
- Long-sleeve shirts or bike jerseys: This will help prevent cuts and scrapes.
- Lightweight waterproof jacket in case it rains while you’re on your mountain biking expedition.
- Bike shorts or pants. These padded pants will be more comfortable while riding in the mountains. It will also prevent cuts and scrapes as well.
- Closed-toe shoes. This is a must! This will protect your feet from the elements but it will also be a lot easier to pedal with shoes. Keep in mind these might get muddy depending on the trail’s conditions. So you might want to avoid wearing your new white shoes.
- Helmets are mandatory on the trails. Make sure you have a good one to keep your head protected.
- Goggles or sunglasses are useful not only to protect your eyes from the sun but also from any particles that could end up in your eye and damage it.
- Gloves. I don’t mean winter gloves but a pair of biking gloves. You’ll have a better grip on your handlebar, it will prevent you from getting scrapes on your hands but can also keep you warm if the weather is a bit colder.
- Knee pads are a must too. Not only will they protect your knees from injuries but they will also keep the muscles warm throughout your ride.
- Elbow pads. Although the least important of all these, it’s always a good idea to protect your body from injury.
Tips to plan your Vermont mountain bike road trip: What to pack
While planning for your Vermont mountain bike road trip, you’ll have to think about two different situations to pack for.
First, you’ll have to think about everything road trip. And second, everything you’ll need for mountain biking.
Road trip Equipment and gear
- License and registration
- Car insurance and relevant contact information
- Your car’s manual or the rental car’s manual
- Spare tire
- Maps
- Sunglasses
- Spare money
- First aid kit
- Tissues
- Blanket
- Reusable water bottle
- Travel mug
- Reusable shopping bag
- Garbage bags
- Snacks
- Car cooler
- Notebook/pen
- Your clothes
For a complete guide on what you’ll need to bring, give my road trip essentials post a read.
Mountain Biking equipment and gear
- Mountain bike
- Helmet
- Knee pads
- Elbow pads
- Shoes
- Mountain biking clothing
- Gloves
- Goggles or sunglasses
- Day pack
- Water bottle
- Bike multitool
Vermont mountain bike rentals
If you don’t have your own mountain bike, Vermont has many rentals where you’ll be able to get the best mountain bike for your needs.
You can rent a bike from Stratton to enjoy the Stratton bike park.
You’ll find some rentals in Bolton Valley, in Stowe, at Burke mountain resort, in East Burke, in Killington and in Burlington to only name a few.
Vermont mountain bike lessons
If you’re completely new to the mountain biking world but would really like to try it, you can enroll in mountain biking lessons all over Vermont to learn the right skills.
There are mountain biking lessons available in Bolton Valley, East Burke, Stowe, Stratton, and Killington.
Tips to plan your Vermont mountain bike road trip
How to use the lift
If you’re a first-timer, this can be quite stressful to use the lifts for the first time. Don’t worry though, these tips will help you know what to expect and how exactly to accomplish using the lifts with your bike.
Using the lift is more likely if you plan on doing some downhill mountain biking in Vermont. Enduro and XC you’ll probably not need the lift at all.
- Once it’s your turn to use the lift, you’ll have to load your bike on the bike carrier in front of your chair
- Place your front tire on the carrier
- Roll your bike until it locks into place
- Make sure your back wheel is centred
- Make your way to your chair
- Sit on the chair and lower the handlebar
- A the top, there will be a lift attendant to unload your bike
- You’ll be able to get your bike from the bike rack once you get off the chair
Bring tools and tubes
While practicing any type of mountain biking, you’ll want to have a small tool kit and an extra tube with you at all times. Unfortunately, your bike can break at any time during your ride even if you had it checked out before this road trip.
Having some small tools can help you fix your bike to keep going. If you have a flat tire, the tube will be perfect to fix it.
You might break your bike and are not able to fix it at all. That happens to the best of us! But at least you’ll have a couple of tools in case you can repair it yourself.
Bring tools such as:
Make sure your gear is in order
Before leaving for your Vermont mountain biking road trip, you’ll want to make sure that all your gear is in order.
Get your bike checked in the shop. This way you’ll avoid having a bad surprise on the trails by breaking down.
Check your bike clothing and equipment as well to make sure that everything is in order. If something is broken, you can buy a new one before you leave on your road trip.
It will avoid having to find a bike shop on your way to Vermont.
Research trails before you go
Before hitting the trails, take a couple of minutes to check the mountain biking trails in the area you’ve selected to ride.
This way, you’ll have a general idea of where you have to go. You can also choose trails that you feel are a good fit for you depending on your skills.
It will also help to have a general idea of where you want to go so you can avoid getting lost.
Download trail maps
Nowadays, technology is pretty much everywhere and in everything we do. You can find the trail maps either on apps or throughout websites.
You can always carry the paper map in your bag so you can access it if needed. You can also download the maps directly to your phone.
Ride as a group
Riding as a group is always better than doing it alone.
If someone breaks down during the ride, they won’t be alone. You’ll be able to help each other out to try and fix the bike. Someone might even have the tool you’re missing in your tool kit!
It’s also better in case something happens to be at least two. If someone injures themselves in your party, you’ll have someone to help you get back to your starting point or get some help if needed.
Go at your own pace
Hitting the trails isn’t a competition. Unless you are doing a competition, and even then, you’ll want to go at your own pace.
If you don’t feel comfortable going too fast, you don’t have to. Just make sure that if someone is going faster than you, leave them ample space to pass you.
It’s good to push yourself so you can be proud of what you’ve accomplished but if you push yourself too much, you risk injuring yourself or exhausting yourself by the end of your ride.
You’ll appreciate it a lot more if you ride at your own pace and your limits.
Don’t overextend yourself
This also goes hand in hand with going at your own pace. If you push yourself over your limit and you have a couple of days of mountain biking planned, you might need to cancel some days because you’re just too exhausted.
That would put a damper on your trip to have to cancel your main activity.
Add in a rest day
This is especially important if you’re doing a multi-day mountain biking road trip. If you’re going on a weekend getaway, you’ll most likely be able to ride both days.
Still, listen to your body. If you aren’t feeling up to it, it’s OK to skip a day.
But if you’re planning many days of mountain biking, make sure to plan some rest days. Even though you’re in great physical form, you don’t want to overextend and then either injure yourself or be too exhausted to enjoy the rest of your trip.
Service your car
Even though you’re taking a mountain biking adventure, you’re probably be using your car on the road trip. If you’re renting a car, don’t worry about this. The car should already be in order.
However, if you’re driving your own car around, make sure to get it checked and fixed if need be before you go.
Just like your bike, you want it to be in working order to hit the trails. You want to avoid breaking down while enjoying mountain biking.
It’s the same for your car. You want to avoid breaking down along the way and losing precious time. It would be a shame to break down and lose a day of mountain biking because of that.
Check the weather
Before hitting the trail, check out the weather. Weather is changing and unfortunately can change your outdoor plans pretty quickly.
By checking the weather you can choose the best time to ride your bike. If it’s supposed to be pouring rain in the morning and sunny in the afternoon, it might be better to wait for the skies to clear up.
You’ll avoid riding in undesirable weather and you’ll probably enjoy the trails a lot more if the weather isn’t bad.
Snacks and hydration
Carry a small pack with you while riding the trails. If you’re planning to be gone for a while, you’ll probably get hungry at some point. Having snacks handy will do the trick.
Bring some water as well. It’s important to stay hydrated throughout your ride.
Best mountain biking in Vermont
Kingdom trails
The Kingdom trails are probably the most popular mountain biking trails in Vermont. The kingdom trails have a lot of every type of mountain you want to practice. You’ll find the trails near Burke Mountain.
The Kingdom Trails offer about 148 trails from beginner to expert depending on your skills. If you’re new to mountain biking or you want to get your kids into it, there are plenty of green trails you can do with them.
A bit more of an expert or looking for some more adrenaline, you’ll find jumps and berms. You’ll find some fun and fast-paced trails.
The Kingdom Trails is where you’ll find the best mountain biking in Vermont in my opinion!
Perry hill
Perry Hill is a smaller place to go mountain biking. However, they do have some great quality mountain biking trails to offer. Perry Hill is located near Waterbury.
Perry Hill has about 16km (10 miles) of trails to offer from beginner to expert.
You’ll find fast and technical flows, rocks, drops, and plenty of fun.
Millstone trails
Millstone Trails is a lot similar to Pine Hill Park. It is a local mountain biking area with trails for every ability. Millstone trails are located in Central Vermont.
Millstone Trails has about 42km (26 miles) of trails for beginners to experts alike.
You’ll find that Millstone trails have shorter climbs and shorter descents. You’ll be able to enjoy flowy and rolling rides. You’ll have big cross-country loops. They do also have a couple of steep, technical, and challenging rides on a couple of trails.
Cady hill forest
If you’re cross-country mountain biking, Cady Hill Forest is a great place to go. The trails are located near Stowe Mountain.
There are about 40 different trails you can use. You’ll be able to ride some beginner trails to some expert-level ones.
Pine hill park
Pine Hill Park should be considered when you’re planning your mountain biking road trip. Located near Rutland, it’s easily accessible.
Pine Hill Park has about 37km (23 miles) of trails. Most of the riding is intermediate to expert level.
You’ll find some fun-flowing and non-technical trails, downhill-specific trails, and challenging climbs and descents.
Ascutney trails
Ascutney trails are located in the former ski area and adjacent to West Windsor town forest.
There is about 56km (35 miles) of great mountain biking trails. Trails are for all skill levels and some are a bit more challenging for the most advanced levels.
Grafton trails
Grafton trails has around 82 different trails to try out. You’ll have primarily some cross-country mountain biking trails.
Here again, you’ll have trails for all skill level including beginner trails to expert.
The driving range
The Driving range is a smaller mountain biking terrain compared to the other ones but it is a great place to ride anyway.
The driving range has 11 trails for all skills. Beginners and experts alike will have plenty of fun.
I hope that all these tips to plan your Vermont mountain bike road trip has helped you make a clearer plan.
Mountain biking is such a fun activity for everyone. Even though you’re a first time mountain biker or an expert, it’s always fun to discover new places to enjoy the trails.
I’m a big fan of the Kingdom trails. Not only are they only a couple of hours away from where I live, the trails are well maintained, fun and every skill level can use the right trails for them.
I believe it’s time to plan you next Vermont mountain biking road trip for next summer! You won’t regret taking a couple of days to enjoy the outdoors and the mountain biking trails!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links. I would never recommend anything I don’t personally love and use!
If you want to plan another type of trip than mountain biking, I have plenty of other great resources to plan a trip.
