Happy trails in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom

Kingdom Trails: A mountain biking mecca

“It blows my mind every day,” says Abby Long, of the 106 private landowners in the Northeast Kingdom who host public trails on their land. “They see the value that outdoor recreation has for the community.” 

Abby is the executive director of the nonprofit Kingdom Trail Association (KT) that manages over 100 miles of four-season trails in Caledonia County’s Burke, Kirby, and Lyndon, plus Essex County’s East Haven. The beloved mountain biking destination is also popular for running, fat biking, hiking, snowshoeing, and nordic skiing.  

Ranked seventh in a list of the ten best mountain bike trails in the USA by Bike Magazine, and the only trail system in the Northeast to make the grade, Kingdom Trails draws a lot of visitors — and revenue — to the four northern Vermont towns. The network is estimated to generate more than $10 million a year in economic activity for the region. 

“We understand we are important to the local economy and all the area businesses,” Abby says.  

Photo credit: Jason A. Frank, Kingdom Trails

Forging links with local landowners

Kingdom Trails is also important for the state, as a significant contributor to Vermont’s $2.1 billion outdoor recreation economy. From biking and hiking to snowboarding and skiing, Vermont’s many outdoor offerings account for nearly five percent of the state’s gross domestic product, the second highest in the nation.  

Keeping the network open means collaborating with the people who allow trails across their private property.  

“We do have agreements with landowners and have amazing relationships,” Abby says, “and yet there is always a risk of trail loss. So we need to always be educating our trail users that it’s a privilege, and they need to respect the land, the owners, and the community here.”

Photo credit: Kingdom Trails