specialmonkey

Does anyone have recommendations for road cycling routes around Burlington, VT?

We're interested in 15-50 mile (round trip) routes.

I've heard there's a causeway on Lake Champlain, but am unfamiliar with the area. One of us doesn't have a passport, so can't consider crossing the border.

I found this:
https://rootsrated.com/burlington-vt/cycling

which mentions the following -

Island Line Trail
App Gap from Richmond
Mount Philo Loop
Bolton Access Road
Island Loop
Smugglers Notch Loop
French Hill
Small Town Loop
Irish Hill Loop
Jericho Loop

Thanks for any tip!

indyfabz

The Island Line Trail goes from in town out into the lake. There is a missing swing bridge that leaves a gap of about 250’. There is a seasonal “ferry” that takes you across the gap.

Also check this out. IIRC, there is a ferry across the lake to NY. Burlington is a fun town. Check out North Beach. The ILT goes right passed it.

https://www.champlainbikeways.org/

jpescatore

We are going to be up in Burlington VT towards the end of August and have 2 rides planned that come close to your specs:

Burlington to North Hero (Hero's Welcome lunch place) - we did this on the road years ago but this time will use the Island Trail/ferry and it will be about 55 miles rt.

Burlington to Charlotte VT - Old Brick Store for lunch - about 25 miles RT. From the Old Brick Store, you can go a few miles west and get on a ferry across the Lake to Essex VT. I did that years ago on a tour around Lake Champlain - back them there wasn't much in Essex but may have been rejuvenated - and the short ferry ride was fun anyway.

Years ago, we left our car in Burlington and biked 50 mile one way to Isle La Mott (about 15 miles north from North Hero) and stayed in a motel/cottage place there and biked back the next day. Not planning that this time.

indyfabz

Heh. Stopped at that store for a muffin during my 2018 ride from St. Albans, VT to Philly. (BTW...I think you mean Essex, NY.)

First stayed in Burlington for a few days to have dinner with a friend. Sadly, part of the Island Line Trail had been damaged by a freak storm earlier in June. The segment that goes out into the lake was closed for repairs. I may repeat the trip this September and hope to ride it if I do.

DCwom

We did the 3 ferry loop that starts and ends in Burlington, it uses the Island trail and it's ferry, the Hero-Plattsburge vehicle ferry and the Burlington vehicle ferry to cross back from the other side of the lake. The Plattsburge ferry is about 2 miles while the Burlington ferry is 10 so you get a 52 mile ride and only pedal for 40 :-) Even if you don't do the loop I highly recommend the Island trail at least out across the causeway, its pretty unique.

Also try a maple "creamy", while you're there, it's a Burlington thing.

https://www.champlainbikeways.org/pd...-Trail-Map.pdf

specialmonkey

Thanks all, I appreciate the info!

autonomy

Also these:
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/...nt?oid=2137896
https://bikenewengland.com/bicycle-rides-in-vermont/

veloz

Smugglers Gap is maybe my all time fave ride.Super challenging climb and the descent is 50+ mph.

indyfabz

Heh. When I rode across the country with 12 others we spent a few nights in VT. One member of the group had grown up in the state. She noted that we would be passing a good “creamy store” one day. I had to ask her what that was.

rumrunn6

here ya go! Burlington VT - Island Line Trail

specialmonkey

Thanks again for all the tips. We had 2 beautiful days and 1 steamy/humid/rainy day (so we went to Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury). We pretty much did the Island Line trail starting in the New North End section of town and made it out as far as the Hero's Welcome sandwich shop on N. Hero. On the way back my girlfriend had 2 rear flats - her Bontrager tires were probably as old as the '85 Trek 600 Series she was riding. I patched the first flat. On the second flat I swapped front and rear tires and used a new tube on the front (kept front tube/tire combo and moved it to rear rim), we made it back! It was pretty much 50 miles round trip. The next day we got some very nice new (Specialized S-Works Turbo) tires for my girlfriend's bike at Skirack in town. We stuck to the Burlington Greenway and a bit south of town that day for roughly 17 miles round trip. We had a creamy at Little Gordo's Creemee Stand in town, they were out of maple, had a horchata one instead - we did get to try a maple creemee at Ice Cream Bob's by the lake in town. We had good meals at the Farm House and at El Cortijo, both in town. For breakfast found a good place in Essex Junction called Firebird Cafe. I hope to try some other trails if we return but nothing too intense, the mountains out there are beautiful, but maybe a little too extreme for me these days.



N. Hero

N. Hero

Alpaca

On the causeway

On the causeway

indyfabz

Nice!

Still planning to take Amtrak to St. Albans on 9/11 and ride to Burlington the next morning for two nights at North Beach Campground. My former colleague who has a place in town might take me sailing.

rumrunn6

if anyone gets a chance, check out the consignment shop in the basement of the Outdoor Gear Exchange on Church St!

rumrunn6

great pics & share! we love that area but never visited during a summer month!

indyfabz

Been there. Done that. 2018. Think I bought something.

rumrunn6

got a sweet little drop bar mirror for $3 there, but they have tons of hiking shoes & boots too. all those college kids unloading when they graduate. for some reason my Daughter brought hers home