BURLINGTON, VT
A small city that’s big on riding
3 Riding Days
6 Trail Networks
Non-Riding Activities
All Skill Levels
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 lakefront 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.
Brio 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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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.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Burlington’s waterfront is plentiful and accessible. Riding the bike path is a fantastic way to familiarize yourself with the city.
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.
Fun-filled descents abound at Saxon Hill.
Burlington’s Pine Street and the South End are home to many eclectic establishments and funky producers.
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.
Hinesburg Town Forest rewards expert riders with old-school trails that epitomize New England mountain biking.
Once you’ve seen Burlington from the trails, take a new look from out on Lake Champlain. Rent a boat or take a lesson.
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.
Be at the Grey Jay the minute before it opens at 9 AM. It’s popular.
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.
ROUTES & RIDE TIPS
“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.” - TK
Saxon Hill
Saxon Hill
Fellowship of the Wheel VMBA Chapter
Saxon Hill 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 and continue with a loop on Mo Flow. Add on a Low Flow loop if you would like some extra miles and a little more difficulty.
Intermediate and expert riders can head across Thompson Drive. 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. 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 Hollow
Fellowship of the Wheel VMBA Chapter
An incredible 30-mile pay-to-ride network of trails, Sleepy Hollow is a mecca for advanced and expert riders. A mix of beautiful “rake-and-ride” and fast and flowy, rolling descents. Riders have the option to climb to Butternut Cabin and take in spectacular views of the Green Mountain spine. From there, one can choose to continue through a fantastic network or descend to the base of the Hinesburg Town Forest (and beyond to Carse Hills) for an all-day epic or shuttle. An intermediate loop is now possible and joins the rest of the loops at their conclusion for an exhilarating, smooth descent to the parking area. PLEASE PAY OR SIGN IN AT THE OFFICE and NO DOGS.
Hinesburg Town Forest
Hinesburg Town Forest
Fellowship of the Wheel VMBA Chapter
The Hinesburg Town Forest boasts 18 miles of singletrack spread through 1125 acres. Trails are primarily “old-school rake-and-ride” and are therefore quite challenging. There are very limited options for beginner and intermediate riders. Set in the middle of three contiguous networks, the Hinesburg Town Forest is an excellent jumping off point for some of the longest, most challenging rides in VT. Head up and over to the incredible Carse Hills trails to the south or climb up to the Butternut Cabin at Sleepy Hollow to the north.
Carse Hills
Carse Hills
Fellowship of the Wheel VMBA Chapter
The trails on the Carse property between Lincoln Hill and Hollow Road in Hinesburg are some of the best in VT. Big climbs and over 10 miles of epic singletrack on 1000 acres of land contiguous to the Hinesburg Town Forest. FOTW has committed significant resources to this network and has created a real gem for advanced riders. Instant classics like Henry’s Highlands, Preacher, Crucible, Pinner, and Voodoo Child have been meticulously constructed and are quite popular. Most trails are characterized as a combination between technical and flowy. Trails are designed to challenge riders on climbs while allowing for higher speed descents. The most advanced trails incorporate freeride options such as rock faces, jumps, and wooden features.
Sunny Hollow
Sunny Hollow
Fellowship of the Wheel VMBA Chapter
Located in Colchester behind Costco, Sunny Hollow Park is an extremely popular network for beginner and intermediate riders. Both the Blueberry and East loops are ideal trails for beginners and easy to access. Intermediate and advanced riders can descend into a number of ravines and access further plateaus. Small plateaus and deep ravines allow for beautiful views throughout. The trails are in very close proximity to Burlington and Winooski, making the network a popular choice for after work rides. In recent seasons, Fellowship of the Wheel has built significant retaining walls, bridges, and re-routes to further improve ride-ability and sustainability for all trail users.
Colchester Woods
Colchester Woods
Fellowship of the Wheel VMBA Chapter
Colchester Woods is riddled with trails. The most obvious, Minor's Loop, is a 2-mile loop that begins in the back corner of the Colchester High School parking lot. It can be easy to get turned around in these woods, so it might be best to go with a guide who knows the trails for your first time (or to be ready to spend a lot of time looking at a map). Nonetheless, the trails can be super fun and rewarding. The easiest access points are through the Colchester High School parking lot