Kingdom Trails Vermont

[ridebikeme]

Got back from the Kingdom Trails in Vermont last night, and for those of you that have been there... well you know that I woke up this morning with a smile on my face!:p

Although I've been there before, this time was special. Last year I took my youngest nephew and we had a blast, setting the tone for more trips. This time I was meeting a customer with her two sons, AND I was able to take both of my nephews as well. So with four boys ranging from 12-17, I would dare say there was a lot of energy AND lots of smiles!! The boys defintiely had a lot of skill, challenged each other on the uphills and the downhills and truly were tons of fun to be with!

Needless to say, it was a great time and something I'll look forward to again!! If you haven't been there, you should really make a trip. Trails for every ability level, well designed trails and that will defintiely put a smile on your face.

[SheFly]

Woohoo! I've been up three times so far this season. And we also introduced our nephew to the joys of riding there (he lives nearby, and we've just gifted him my old Yeti - lucky boy!).

I took a friend up to celebrate her 50th birthday - she'd never been before. Smiles all around.

I can't wait to go back ;).

SheFly

[ridebikeme]

An old Yeti,,, what a GREAT gift!!! I'm sure that he will love it!

It's a great place to celebrate a 50th birthday:D

I'm definitely looking forward to going back... sounds like my nephews are as well. It was fun yesterday to see each person in the group come down the trail with a huge smile on their face. Jacob the youngest at 12, was really pleased that he did a black diamond trail... and definiely "rode" the trail as opposed to simply getting down it. Ahhhh life is good!

Have a great weekend Shefly!!

[indysteel]

Great! Another place to add to my to do list. How crowded does it get on the Darling Hill trails? I've read that there are so many miles if trail that it doesn't typically seem crowded.

Shefly, I'm so glad you found a good home for your Yeti! Lucky kid!

[ridebikeme]

I haven't rode in that area(yet) but the layout of the trails are superb. After looking at the map, the layout looks similar to their other areas and they can certainly handle a lot of people. Perhaps Shefly can more about this area than I... but definitely add it to your list!!

It seems that the 'feeling' of being crowded is more in the parking aspect of the area, but even then there are overflow parking areas.

[indysteel]

I'll have to wait until DH recovers from our drive this coming September to Bar Harbor before I suggest it. Twenty-one plus hours!!!

[Catrin]

Sounds wonderful! I am bound and determined to take my mountain bike east next year, perhaps it will be to Vermont :)

[ridebikeme]

Ahhhh Indysteel, I remember those 21+ hour drives. Back in the day, I went to ISU and stayed in Indiana for another 6 years after that... then from 1997-2000 I coached at Earlham. To this day, I can still drive there without consulting a map:rolleyes:

[indysteel]

Small world! We're renting a small house outside of Bar Harbour. Ironically. The owner lived in South Bend at one time. There must be some Indiana/Maine connection!

[ridebikeme]

In the 14 years that I was in Indiana, I certainly did meet lots of folks from New England. Lots of students while I was in school, and I recruited quite a few while at Earlham... and Earlham already had a fairly decent percentage of New England students.

At any rate, I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying some temps much cooler than home... which hopefully means that you're getting lots of miles as well!:rolleyes:

[SheFly]

Sorry - just coming back to this thread after a busy weekend.

Indy - even on the most crowded weekends (Labor Day, for example), the trails do not seem crowded at all. We will often see few riders on the trails we want to ride, both on the mountain and Darling Hill side. There is enough terrain to handle quite a lot of riders, and there is something there for every ability level - from true beginners, to cross country riders, to downhill junkies. You will ALWAYS leave with a smile on your face :).

Ridebikeme - you MUST ride the Darling Hill trails! Here is the recommended route:

Up Darling Hill to Poundcake
Poundcake to Fenceline - cross over Coronary to stay on Fenceline
At the end of Fenceline, take a left on Coronary Bypass to the top of a clearing, then onto Pastore Point Loop. This will bring you BACK to Coronary Bypass at the bottom of Fenceline - take a left and a quick right on Coronary.
UP Coronary back to the upper fields (you will pass a dilapidated barn on your left).
Take a right onto Bemis, and then riders choice down either Troll Stroll or Tap and Die (both are WICKED fun and last time we were there, we descended Troll Stroll, climbed Toady's Tour (difficult, but doable) and descended back down on Tap and Die.
Follow River Run to Eager Beaver. At the end of Eager Beaver, you want to come back UP the trail (take a left) to Old Webs - the joy of coming DOWN this trail is SO WORTH the climb back up.
Right on River Run to West Branch. Follow West Branch and start climbing back out.
Take Hogsback up to Sidewinder and giggle like a little girl going down :)
Straight across to switchback back up. Here, on weekends, you will come to a clearing with a small cafe.
To the left of the cafe, climb Webs, and be sure to take in the Chapel at the top (go to the left once you crest the climb). Then, back down the rest of Webs, and climb back out on Violet's Outback/Border to the road.
Cross the road and there is another ENTIRE section of riding to be had. Our new route two weeks ago had us follow Culvert Cut to VAST to East Branch to Riverwood to VAST to Beat Bog to Sugarhouse Run and finally, down Kitchel to round out the day.

There are LOADS more good trails up there. I can't wait to get back. We've ridden MTBs in a lot of places across the US, and still think this is the best place ever.

SheFly

[indysteel]

LOL @ "giggle like a little girl."

I started digging around MTBR's site and Youtube regarding the Kingdom Trails. I definitely want to get better before heading there and we already have next year's trips mostly planned (we're taking a Big One to the Big Island), but there's always 2014. You've made it sound like a really appealing trip, especially if we survive our drive to Maine this September. So, thanks for the head's up and additonal information. TE has inspired a number of our recent vacations; you ladies always inspire me.

[SheFly]

LOL @ "giggle like a little girl."

I LOVE riding Sidewinder, and have been known to climb out from the bottom just to do it all over again. It's hard to describe, but it's kind of like a giant half pipe for bikes - or a roller coaster. Even the boys giggle like girls on this one. And no one has ever NOT been smiling at the end.

Definitely put it on your list - they add new trails almost every year, and each one becomes an instant classic (like Troll Stroll - new last year and almost as fun as Sidewinder).

SheFly

[ridebikeme]

Thanks for the suggestions Shefly!! I'm sure we'll be up to at least some of it, we'll more than likely have a 12year old and 13 year old with us so it will depend on how much climbing there is... don't want to scare them off for sure. :D

We did ride the end of your suggestion last week, and like you said it was fabulous!! Our two groups are already planning another trip:p

Indysteel: Sheflys' comments about trails for every ability are exactly that! We had two true beginners, and a couple more that ride ocassionally but are athletic... and me who LOVED it!! And even the 12 and 13 year olds worked hard, but had a great time. My youngest nephew was riding a 24" kids bike, so he was especially working hard to keep up with the older guys.... now he can't wait for his new bike that is coming in a couple of days.:p

[indysteel]

I just read this (http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/travel/biking-in-vermont-body-armor-optional.html?ref=travel) article on the Kingdom Trails in the NYT travel section.

[Catrin]

I just read this (http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/travel/biking-in-vermont-body-armor-optional.html?ref=travel) article on the Kingdom Trails in the NYT travel section.

Nice article!