Vermont on Two Wheels

Vermont on Two Wheels

Vermont has more than 14,000 mi of roads, and almost 80% of them are town roads that see little high-speed traffic, making them ideal for scenic bike rides. The state is also threaded with thousands of miles of dirt roads suitable for mountain biking. Although mountain-bike trails and old farm and logging roads wind through the Green Mountain State, most are on private property and are therefore not mapped. Several mountain-biking centers around the state have extensive trail networks (and maps) that will keep avid fat-tire fans happy for a few hours or a few days. To road bike in Vermont, you'll want a bicycle, preferably one with at least 10 gears and a map. The only roads that prohibit cycling are the four-lane highways and Rte. 7 and 4 in Rutland.

To make a relatively easy 16-mi loop, begin at the blinker on U.S. 7 in Shelburne and follow Mt. Philo Road south to Hinesburg Rd., then west to Charlotte. Lake Rd., Orchard Rd., and Mouth of River Rd. pass orchards and berry fields. Bostwick Rd. returns to U.S. 7. In the heart of the central Green Mountains is a moderate 18-mi loop on Rtes. 4, 100, and 100A that passes Calvin Coolidge's home in Plymouth Notch. West of Rutland is a beautiful 27-mi ride on Routes 140, 30, and 133 that passes swimming holes, then hugs the shore of Lake St. Catherine. Start in Middletown Springs. A scenic 43 mi ride in the Northeast Kingdom passes through picturesque Peacham and the birches and maples of Groton State Forest. Start in Danville and follow Peacham Rd., then Routes 302, 232, and U.S. 2. For a real test, try the 48-mi ride over Middlebury and Brandon Gaps on Rtes. 125 and 73. The routes connect via Routes 153 and 100.

Mountain Biking Centers:

Considered one of the best mountain-biking destinations in the U.S., the Kingdom Trails (Rte. 114, East Burke. 802/626-0737. www.kingdomtrails.org. $7) are a continually growing 100+-mi network of singletrack trails and abandoned farm and logging roads maintained by the Kingdom Trail Association. The trails zigzag through fern grottos, climb into sugarbushes, and run through meadows and hayfields with views of working farms and forested mountains.

Closer to civilization, the Catamount Outdoor Family Center (592 Governor Chittenden Rd., Williston. 802/879-6001. $6) outside Burlington has mountain-biking trails throughout its 450 acres. With views of Mt. Mansfield and Lake Champlain, the trails wind through old pastures and into the woods. A Wednesday night race series from June to September is open to all abilities, and the center offers mountain-bike lessons and camps throughout the summer.

Two ski resorts have well-developed mountain-biking networks: Mount Snow (Rte. 100, West Dover. 802/464-4040. $30 with lift, $10 for trails only) and Killington (Killington Access Rd., Killington. 802/422-6232. $32 with lift, $8 for trails only) both have 45 mi of lift-served mountain-biking trails. Many of the singletrack trails are littered with slippery tree roots and rocks, making these networks best for advanced fat-tire riders. But Mount Snow's Mountain Bike School offers clinics in the summer.