Burlington, VT - A small city that’s big on riding
Terrain:
20% Beginner
55% Intermediate
25% Expert
Good For:
Riding Focus
Dining Out
Variety
Eat well and awaken to views of Lake Champlain in an energetic town whose cultural amenities rival its roster of riding.
Trail Networks:
Cady Hill Forest
Trapp Family Lodge
Adams Camp Trails
Burlington, Vermont
Eat well and awaken to views of Lake Champlain in an energetic town whose cultural amenities rival its roster of riding.
As Vermont’s most populous city and home to the state’s largest university, Burlington doesn’t require its visitors to bring a bike to enjoy a good time. Situated between the rolling Green Mountains and the shores of Lake Champlain, this progressive city stuns with its natural beauty, youthful energy, and creative community. Award-winning restaurants, galleries, and artists’ studios are everywhere—and so are trails. Whether you want to cruise the bike path along the lake or get rowdy on some singletrack, you don’t have to venture far to find quality riding. And when you get back, you can keep your high going by enjoying the cutting edge of Vermont culture.
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Hotel Vermont welcomes guests to downtown Burlington with modern accommodations, lake views, and a rustic vibe.
Hotel Champlain is a landmark luxury hotel situated right between downtown and the beautiful Lake Champlain.
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Hen of the Wood maintains relationships with a local network of growers, artisans, designers, ranchers, bakers, wild crafters, and other producers to serve a farm-to-table menu that changes daily.
Juniper is Hotel Vermont’s in-house restaurant that serves fresh, local food on the shores of Lake Champlain.
The Firebird Cafe is a lively spot for a quick, classic breakfast.
Palmer Lane Maple is a local maple syrup producer with a reputation for making some of the best maple creemees around.
Zero Gravity Beer Hall serves brews from the source in a bright and spacious tap room and kitchen.
Cafe Hot dished one of the best restaurant meals of 2023 (according to Bon Appetit) and serves a sneakily meat-free menu all morning long.
The Parkside Cafe (in Hinesburg) is a homey spot (porch included) for tea, coffee, and a quick bite to eat.
Skinny Pancake is quickly becoming a Vermont institution for its wide selection of sweet and savory crepes as well as its dedication to supporting local producers.
Foam Brewers is a brewery dedicated to the craft and characterized by the funk—look up for a disco ball and look ahead to catching some live music.
Honey Road is a popular purveyor of superb Eastern Mediterranean mezze—just make sure you have a reservation.
Biro Coffee is a women-owned, nationally renowned, and locally loved specialty coffee roaster.
Haymaker Bun Company is a James Beard semi-finalist known for its transcendent baked goods.
The Gray Jay is Honey Road’s more casual counterpart serving Eastern Mediterranean-inspired dishes all day long.
Misery Loves Company makes a mean sandwich and also stocks all the cute artisanal foodstuffs you could want.
Folinos slings naturally-leavened sourdough pizzas cooked hot in a wood-fired oven.
Burlington Beer Company is known for its IPAs and serves its distinctive brews from a massive, many-windowed, 120 year-old brick building.
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Outdoor Gear Exchange is a large, locally-owned retailer that can serve all your outdoor gear needs—mountain biking included.
Skirack is also a bike shop (!) offering sales and service.
Earl’s Cyclery & Fitness was founded in 1953 as a bicycle and lawn mower repair shop. Bike fixes of all kinds remain on the service menu, but you’ll have to take your John Deere elsewhere.
North Star Sports is a longtime local shop that rents hybrid and gravel bikes that are great for cruising the shoes of Lake Champlain.
Old Spokes Home is a 501(c)(3) non-profit bike shop that improves access to bikes for the whole community.
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The Community Sailing Center offers sailboat, paddle board, kayak, and canoe rentals and lessons on the shores of Lake Champlain.
Petra Cliffs Clmbing Center and Mountaineering School is right on the south edge of town and a great place to exercise inside on a rainy day.
The Soda Plant is home to a variety of shops, studios, and galleries run by local makers.
Shop along Pine Street, where finds of all kinds—the new and the vintage, the local and the curated—abound. Kish, Project Object Vintage, and Skida are all worth a visit.
Burlington Farmers Market convenes some of Vermont’s best makers, craftspeople, and farmers for a weekly marketplace.
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Located just twelve miles east of Burlington, this popular trail system includes over thirteen miles of smooth, flowy trail suitable for all ability levels.
A few miles past Hinesburg, you’ll find three trail systems—Sleepy Hollow Ski & Bike Center, Hinesburg Town Forest, and Carse Hills—laced North-to-South through the woods. Go here for almost thirty miles of challenging old-school rake & ride.
Google Parking Directions (for Hinesburg Town Forest)
This small, mixed-use trail system is great for beginner riders and is easily accessible by bike from the Island Line Trail.
A popular, close-to-town spot for beginner and intermediate riders, Sunny Hollow is home to about 5 miles of trails and many a beautiful view.
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You can save a lot of money by joining VMBA for your trip! Everyone one is welcome. Individual memberships are $60, with discounts available for families and those under 25. Your benefits can be used immediately from the VMBA App!
Join VMBA today for immediate access to these member benefits through our App.
Becoming a VMBA member supports mountain biking and trails throughout Vermont, as well as our local chapters.
Local VMBA Chapter:
Fellowship of the WheelAdditional conditions may apply for any of the above offers. Please refer to the VMBA App for details.
The Bierhall at Trapp Family Lodge should be on your list for lunch or dinner. A refreshing pint of Von Trapp’s signature Helles golden lager is recommended.
All along the Stowe Rec Path you’ll find inviting swimming holes. Park your bike against a tree and take a refreshing dip!
The Stowe Recreation Path is a non-motorized artery that connects businesses, restaurants, parks and lodging. Thanks to the Rec Path, you can leave your car parked and enjoy a vacation on two wheels.
We dare you to try riding Cady Hill Forest Trails without an ear to ear grin.
Born from a community effort to save a historic building back in 1981, The Current has established itself as a progressive contemporary art center.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
ARRIVAL DAY:
Say hello to Lake Champlain
Check into Hotel Vermont for its local character, attention to detail, and central location. If you need to stretch your legs, you can walk over to Battery Park. The hill that made this place a choice point of defense during the War of 1812 now permits panoramic views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. Continue on to the Island Line Trail for some extra mileage, or head back to the Hotel Vermont, where some of the best dining in town is only steps away. A second location of Waterbury’s famous Hen of the Wood is right next door, but Juniper, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, is an often-overlooked gem that’s worth checking out for a pre-dinner cocktail or a full meal.
DAY ONE:
Explore Saxon Hill
It’s a quick thirty minute drive to the Saxon Hill trail system near Essex for the day’s riding. On your way there, make a pitstop at The Firebird Cafe, a quick, energetic spot that serves a classic breakfast menu as well as single-origin coffee roasted by nearby Good Luck Coffee Roasters. From the trailhead, beginner and intermediate riders can find loops aplenty on the hills to the west, while more advanced riders should ascend Saxon Hill, where a number of dowhill-only trails welcome wee!s and a lighter touch on the brakes.
Enjoy a maple creemee ascension
No matter the size of your your appetite or your ride, a short detour to Jericho’s Palmer Lane Maple is mandatory. Operated by a family of first-generation sugarmakers, Palmer Lane Maple is widely known for its incredible maple creemees and house-made maple sprinkles. Take a seat on the porch and enjoy Vermont’s favorite sweet treat as the cars cruise by.
Slow down in a local shop or studio
Back in Burlington, take an evening on the town. In recent years, the area on and around Pine Street has bloomed with creative energy, transforming from a gritty industrial corridor to a hotspot for artists and entrepreneurs. Take the Soda Plant, for example: once a bottling facility for Venetian Ginger Ale, it now serves as a studio, gallery, and shop space for more than forty local makers. Kish, a slow-fashion boutique, is worth a stop, as is Project Object Vintage for its collection of pre-millennial finds. Once you’ve had your fill, finish the day at Zero Gravity Beer Hall, a microbrewery with a great menu as well as indoor and outdoor seating.
DAY TWO:
Eat an egg sandwich like never before
Embrace a dose of morning maximalism and take your breakfast at The Cafe Hot. Laid-back but dialed, this local favorite is known for its award-winning breakfast sandwiches served on decadent brioche buns. Try the #8, their classic chicken-fried sandwich that contains crispy, airy scrambled eggs and—gasp—no chicken. Tack on an order of “bonuts” (biscuit donuts) and you’ll have yourself a proper meal.
The day’s riding agenda presents two options:
Experts should drive to the trails in Hinesburg (Sleepy Hollow Ski & Bike Center and Hinesburg Town Forest, in particular) to enjoy the rougher pleasures of old-school rake and ride trails. Lunch will be at The Parkside Cafe.
Beginners (or those looking for a mellow cruise) should hop on the Island Line Trail and ride all the way out the Colchester Causeway, which arcs 3 miles out in the middle of Lake Champlain. On your way back, detour to Colchester Woods for some easy green trail riding. Lunch right off the bike path at Skinny Pancake, a Vermont classic.
Sail on Lake Champlain
The non-profit Community Sailing Center has helped the people of Burlington ply the waters of Lake Champlain for over twenty years. If you know how to sail, rent a boat and let the wind carry you away. Otherwise, you can book a lesson with an instructor or paddle a SUP, kayak, or canoe out on your own. Back ashore, follow the breeze off the lake into Foam Brewers for a beer with a view. Order a heady pour of one of their tropical IPAS, such as Built to Spill, and watch the sunset over the lake.
Share plates at Honey Road
After a day of splitting up, it’s time to share. Head to Honey Road for dinner, where a reservation ensures that you won’t have to cross your fingers for a bar seat. The recipient of several James Beard Award nominations (plus a “Top American Dishes of 2023” accolade from The New York Times), Honey Road’s Eastern Mediterranean menu is all hits. Order up a smattering of share plates and enjoy the big flavors and elevated atmosphere.
DAY THREE:
A honey, sunny start to the day
If you loved Honey Road (or didn’t get in), walk to breakfast at The Grey Jay, their more casual, breakfast- and lunch-only counterpart. Whet your appetite with a Double Chocolate Urfa (that’s a smokey, dried chile flake) Old Fashioned donut or a Halloumi Biscuit, then go all in with one of their creative mains. On your way out of town, spin some easy miles at nearby Sunny Hollow, which has trails for riders of all abilities. And last but not least, stop at Misery Loves Company for a sandwich or road snacks for the drive home.
Cady Hill Forest
Trapp Family Lodge
Adams Camp
Adams Camp
RIDE RECOMMENDATIONS
Saxon Hill
Cady Hill Forest
Saxon Hill - Saxon Hill is very popular among riders of all abilities. It has some of the most diverse terrain in the area and its stacked loop trail structure makes it easy to tune your pedal to the proper length and level of difficulty.
Beginners can start on Paper Route, which is a great warm-up lap and is also suitable for first-time riders. Continue with a loop on Mo Flow to earn two great views of the nearby pond. Add on a Low Flow loop if you would like some extra miles and a little more difficulty. (Note: Low Flow is Adaptive MTB accessible and has lots of fun bridges, all 48" wide or more.)
Intermediate and expert riders can warm up with a quick loop on Mo Flow and Out 'n Back. Next, head across Thompson Drive to and begin ascending Upper Flow. Before Upper Flow turns back downhill, hop on Mojo and ride the loop to the summit of Saxon Hill, where the riding gets more technical. Ride back down Mojo, or try Outer Downhill, which will connect you to Freefall and Jump Lines to finish things off. If you want to session, Jump Lines offers multiple lines (one with gap jumps) that are easily lapped via a climb trail.
Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy
Hinesburg Town Forest
Head to the Hinesburg Town Forest for some challenging old-school rake & ride.
Gravity seekers can park at the Hayden Hill East parking lot and link a succession of trails (Maiden, Eagles, Back Door, and Dragon’s Tail). Next, descend Firebreather, which has jumps, berms, and rough sections. Climb up Lost Trail to to Sheep Thrills for a high-speed downhill with more of the same.
Singletrack hounds can link a number of trails to complete a beautiful loop filled with classic Vermont singletrack riding. Park at the Hayden Hill East parking lot and climb Homestead to Gorge Trail to Alger’s Place to Dragon’s tail. Continue on the ridge to Back Door and Missing Link, then finish off on Passing the Horizon.
Colchester Woods
Sunny Hollow
The Sunny Hollow trails are all accessible for Adaptive MTBs and can be reached from Burlington by bike if you lack car transportation.
Start off with the Blueberry Loops, which an appropriate warm-up for all riders, including youth. There are lots of intersections, but the trail system is small, so it can be fun to get lost and just spin the pedals for a while.
To access some more intermediate terrain, head over the bridge to the East Loop and Brooke Crossing, where you’ll find a few more challenging trails. Return on Triborough Bridges.
THE SKINNY:
This is traditional Vermont biking at its finest. These are some of the oldest trail systems in the state but they are still super fun. You will pedal a lot, but the descents at Sleepy Hollow and Hinesburg Town Forest are super fun and Enduro-y. Saxon Hill is more flow oriented and is a good place for beginners and intermediate riders, but anyone can have fun here. If you want to spend more time on this network, you have to go up high and ride the Mojo variations off the top of the hill. Commit to a few laps if that's the case because the descents are short but steep and super fun. The lower Saxon riding is very approachable for pretty much everyone, including kids. If you want a massive day, you can start at Sleepy Hollow and ride all the way through Hinesburg Town Forest to Carse and then back. This is refered to as Del's Ride as it's done as a part of a fundraiser every year.