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Monkey's what's "rad" near the Kingdom Trails in VT?

kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Wife and I are going to do some road tripping with the pooch this summer. 1 plan is to hit up the kingdom trails for a day of riding.

Are the kingdom trails dog friendly at all or will we need to make some plans for that?
What else is a must see nearby? IE: places to grub, beer, wife loves good wine, we want to be tourists and buy maple syrup, we like waterfalls and swimming holes, hiking, and all around good fun.

we'll only be spending a full day, day and a half in the area before heading back towards home. So just looking for a few suggestions.

we want to leave vermont stoked, because we heard it was rad, and bro we definitely bro, bro, so we want to be able to schralp the best trails.
 
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wiscodh

Monkey
Jun 21, 2007
833
121
303
Not much going on in the town itself. Theres a restaurant and a gas station and a nice bikeshop. Trails are rad up there. Very XC on darling hill and more of everything else at the bike park across the road.


After you ride, you should head down to stowe or waterbury. Only like 1.5 hours away. Can hike all over stowe, stowe piniicale, mount Mansfield, ect.


For eats, stop in at the Bench in stowe, or if you want good pub grub stop in at the resiviour in Waterbury. If you want to be a baller, go to the hen of the wood in Waterbury.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
hmm, let me see how stowe lines up with our path back to michigan. Following the kingdom trails we were going to do some exploration around the finger lakes/watkins glen area on our way home.
 
johnbryanpeters

johnbryanpeters

Hero
Sep 27, 2001
36,077
16,509
Making moss sad in New Haven, Vermont
People don't generally ride with dogs at KT - not sure what the rules might be, if any.

There are nice B&Bs and some inns with restaurants essentially right at various KT trailheads. There are safe swimming holes off some of the trails (some Vermont swimming holes kill people regularly).

There are a number of good restaurants in Montpelier, ditto Burlington, and Burlington has excellent entertainment and lodging options. Stowe's out of the way on a KT to Watkins Glen route unless you plan to stop and ride there. One way of getting to the Glen is to go to Burlington and take the ferry over, scenic, as is Burlington itself.
 
I Are Baboon

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,414
9,428
MTB New England
It's very Vermonty which is a good thing.

Dog policy:
NO DOGS ON WEEKENDS (Saturday & Sunday)

Kingdom Trails always encourages its members and guests to leave their dogs at home. If they so chose to bring their dog Monday through Friday it must be in control at all times, preferably by a leash. Please clean up after your dog by burying the waste. We also request that folks do not leave their dogs in their vehicle or tied to a tree while they are out enjoying the trails.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
I Are Baboon said:
It's very Vermonty which is a good thing.

Dog policy:
NO DOGS ON WEEKENDS (Saturday & Sunday)

Kingdom Trails always encourages its members and guests to leave their dogs at home. If they so chose to bring their dog Monday through Friday it must be in control at all times, preferably by a leash. Please clean up after your dog by burying the waste. We also request that folks do not leave their dogs in their vehicle or tied to a tree while they are out enjoying the trails.
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Thanks, we'll be riding there on a Monday, still up in the air regarding whether the dog will make this trip with us or not.
 
syadasti

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Don't miss the trails in Stowe and Waterbury. Better than the Kingdom Trails IMHO.
 
syadasti

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
kickstand said:
Everyone's opinions differ. Please explain why you like them better. I may agree with you.
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They're more technical, varied, and challenging. Last time I rode at Waterbury with JBP he got knocked out literally twice.

Kingdom trails are a bit boring like most of the trails at Raystown Lake (another over-hyped destination, though I only rode there on opening day).
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,883
24,463
media blackout
syadasti said:
They're more technical, varied, and challenging. Last time I rode at Waterbury with JBP he got knocked out literally twice.

Kingdom trails are a bit boring like most of the trails at Raystown Lake (another over-hyped destination, though I only rode there on opening day).
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so you're saying that a higher risk for mild traumatic brain injury is a feature?
 
syadasti

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
johnbryanpeters said:
It'd help if we were to understand what kind of riding (and eating and lodging and entertainment) you're seeking. There are so damn many excellent trails in northern Vermont that it can be overwhelming.
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That's an added bonus to Stowe/Waterbury - better riding and area in general. Plus whenever I've been there are less people on the trails. I also know locals to help maximize trail sequence/flow/etc - that's huge anywhere you ride.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
johnbryanpeters said:
It'd help if we were to understand what kind of riding (and eating and lodging and entertainment) you're seeking. There are so damn many excellent trails in northern Vermont that it can be overwhelming.
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Food: any sort of dive that has good beer and wine selections. My wife has gluten and lactose propblems, so not pizza or pasta joints. Burgers, steaks, chickens, etc. We both like "local" beers and wines here in our own state and like to try the local shit whenever we go places. We're not fine diners, we're walk in all muddy after a ride and get "yummy grub" kinda people.

Good Bar Food > Applebees :P

Trails: We both race DH. We've ridden at many of the mid atlantic and NY/NJ bike parks/race venues. My wife has only gotten the chance to ride "trails" out of state at Beech Mountain (Emerald outback) photos of our ride at the end of the article. http://www.pinkbike.com/news/two-weeks-two-races-photo-epic-part-two-beech-mountain-2014.html

and twice at Brown County Indiana (not quite as flat as you'd think, but imba built, super flowy, some tech, lots of "fun")

She will have a bigger smile if she gets to ride "more flowy and fun" than if she gets to ride "ultra technical should have brought a trials bike" type trails. I ride a 5010, she rides a stumpjumper (26"). We're not looking for shuttle trails or Northshore freeride or dirt jumps, we're looking for a fun 10,20,30 mile trail ride or network of trails like Kingdom where we can put that together flowy, jumpy, technical, fun, not a gravel road grinder. We're not adverse to climbing.

Lodging: will be a tent, or the cargo space in our suv.

We'll only have 1 day to ride in Vermont as we're visiting a few bike parks/doing a race and visiting some friends in other areas along our way.

Scenic stops/leg stretchers: We're mostly trying to figure out where to get some good eats near the kingdom trails, where a good lunch/dinner spot would be along the way back home towards buffalo (cutting through canada back to michigan) and if there is a can't miss swimming hole or waterfall that we can stop to stretch our legs at either on the way to the trails, or on the way back home from them.

Maple Syrup: My wife and son are obsessed with locally made maple syrup, Vermont is supposed to be the maple syrup capital of the world or something, so she wants to know where to grab some, but wants to stop by a farm/roadside stand, not the grocery store.
 
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c.o.d51

Monkey
Oct 5, 2005
137
0
jonKranked said:
if you make it to waterbury, be sure to go to alchemist brewing.
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The Alchemist Brewery is not currently open to the public. Near KT however, is Hill Farmstead, which you definitely should go to if you can. They're open Wed-Sat. Should you hit up Waterbury, which has some seriously kickass trails (Perry Hill), check out the Prohibition Pig, Reservoir, and Blackback. They'll all have Hill Farmstead, Alchemist, 14th Star, Lost Nation, and more brews.

Burlington's awesome too, if you head up there I'd recommend hitting up The Farmhouse for some good eats and great beer. Burlington's a really good time, especially this time of year when school's out. There's always live music, Church Street is great and you can kick it by the lake. From there you could easily hit up Waterbury or take a trip out to Carse in Hinesburg if you're feeling zesty. Both are worth the trip.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
c.o.d51 said:
The Farmhouse for some good eats and great beer. Burlington's a really good time, especially this time of year when school's out. There's always live music, Church Street is great and you can kick it by the lake. From there you could easily hit up Waterbury or take a trip out to Carse in Hinesburg if you're feeling zesty. Both are worth the trip.
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Look into this we shall. Maybe after we ride on monday we'll head that way to crash for the evening.
 
syadasti

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
I think there's a good local maplery on the way from Stowe to Waterbury, I forget the place's name but they have various products and will give you a tour of their equipment etc...

Perry Hill in Waterbury is my pick:

Stowe Trails:
 
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c.o.d51

Monkey
Oct 5, 2005
137
0
kickstand said:
Look into this we shall. Maybe after we ride on monday we'll head that way to crash for the evening.
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Definitely worth it, and fwiw, The Farmhouse also has good options for gluten and lactose allergies. It's an "all local" place too, with so much good wine and beer. There's also a campgrounds right on the bikepath in Burlington, maybe a 5-10 minute ride from downtown and right across from North Beach. There's also some short trails right there, nothing amazing or crazy, just something else to ride.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
c.o.d51 said:
Definitely worth it, and fwiw, The Farmhouse also has good options for gluten and lactose allergies. It's an "all local" place too, with so much good wine and beer. There's also a campgrounds right on the bikepath in Burlington, maybe a 5-10 minute ride from downtown and right across from North Beach. There's also some short trails right there, nothing amazing or crazy, just something else to ride.
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I'm liking the sounds of this.
 
C

c.o.d51

Monkey
Oct 5, 2005
137
0
jonKranked said:
point was to get some heady T
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The Farmhouse has lots of Heady T and more. Focal Banger, Sip of Sunshine, Edward, Fair Maiden, the list goes on. #winning

I do kinda miss riding Perry Hill and having to drive past the Alchemist on the way back Burlington and getting fresh Heady on tap. Only a lil bit.
 
slyfink

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,323
5,074
Ottawa, Canada
As someone who drives to VT a few times per year (KT is about 6 hours away), here's my take. If you like technical terrain, I would choose Perry Hill in Waterbury many times over. If only because KT is so popular and can get kinda overrun. The Burke mountain stuff is great, but I find Waterbury much more "natural". The Stowe trails are also great. In Stowe, I had a great roast beef sandwich and the Vermont Ale House. When I was there it seemed to be full of locals, which was a nice change of pace given that Stowe can get kind of overrun by tourists. There's some mind-blowing swimming holes on the Mad River along Rte 100 around Waitsfield and Warren. Waitsfield has great riding too.
 
Quo Fan

Quo Fan

don't make me kick your ass
Mar 31, 2006
5,909
36
Here. I'm just not sure where "here" is.
Everybody who has posted in this thread has it wrong. There are no good trails in Vermont, and what trails are there are dead flat, kind of like riding on pavement. Or on a trainer.

There is also no good beer in Vermont. Anything "good is imported from California.
 
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