Outdoors

Back Road Bike Tours

The quiet villages, rolling hills and long views of Central Vermont could hardly have been better designed for the touring cyclist. A mix of paved and unpaved roads winds past historic communities and open farmland, and because the through traffic all funnels onto the interstate and the two main routes, the back roads are genuinely empty.

What the riding is like

These are day trips for the recreational cyclist rather than for racers — but Central Vermont is hilly, and a reasonable level of fitness is required. Every route here is laid out as a loop returning to its starting point, and the classic set ranges from twelve to twenty-three miles. Several have optional extensions, and there is nothing to stop anyone combining routes or inventing their own from the state highway map.

The defining feature is dirt. A large proportion of the region's road mileage is unpaved and well maintained, hard-packed and fast in summer, and it is where the best of the riding is. Tyres of 32mm or wider make the difference between a good day and a rattly one; anything narrower than 28mm is a mistake on these surfaces.

From Montpelier's historic downtown and capital district out to the secluded meadows of the Mad River Valley, the backdrop changes continuously. Along the way you will pass steepled churches, country stores, dairy farms, forests, streams and quiet ponds, and you can stop for cider, maple candy, cheddar or hand-dipped chocolate almost anywhere.

The four classic loops

1. The Winooski valley loop — about 15 miles, easy to moderate

The gentlest of the four, following the river valley east of Montpelier through East Montpelier and back on the north side. Mostly paved with dirt sections, one substantial climb out of the valley, and the best of the region's open farm views. A good first ride and the right choice for a mixed-ability group.

2. The hill-town circuit — about 23 miles, hard

North from the Winooski into Calais and Worcester, through villages that never grew a downtown, past a chain of small hill ponds, and back down. This is the longest and hilliest of the set, almost entirely on dirt, with sustained climbs and fast gravel descents. It is also the most beautiful, and if you only do one route, do this one — with the gearing for it.

3. The Mad River Valley loop — about 20 miles, moderate

Up one side of the Mad River and down the other, through Waitsfield and Warren, crossing two covered bridges and passing the valley's best-preserved village centres. The valley floor is easy; the roads on the western side climb hard toward the mountains. Add the Lincoln Gap road only if you know what you are asking for — it is one of the steepest paved roads in the United States and should not be attempted casually.

4. The southern farm loop — about 12 miles, easy

The shortest and flattest, running south of Barre through Williamstown and Orange on rolling farm roads. Good for an evening, good for children who can already ride twenty miles, and the least likely of the four to be busy at any time of year.

Riding conditions and safety

• Season. Late May to late October. Dirt roads are impassable during mud season, and frost heaves make paved back roads rough well into May.
• Surfaces. Loose gravel on descents, washboard on the steeper pitches, and a fresh grading can leave several inches of soft material on a road that was fast the week before.
• Traffic. Light, but farm and logging trucks use these roads and cannot stop quickly. Ride single file on blind corners.
• Navigation. Junction signage in the hill towns is minimal to non-existent. Carry the state highway map, published by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, and do not rely on a phone signal.
• Supplies. Village stores are the resupply network out here and there is often nothing else for fifteen miles; see country stores.
• Dogs. Farm dogs. They are a fact of Vermont dirt-road cycling.

Paved paths and family riding

Short recreation paths run along the Winooski near Montpelier and through the Mad River Valley — level, car-free and suitable for young children or anyone who does not want to deal with gravel. They are also the best way to link the downtown to the river without riding the main road.

Mountain biking

Purpose-built singletrack networks have grown up around the Mad River Valley and near Waterbury, built and maintained by volunteer clubs on a mixture of public and private land. Access depends entirely on landowner goodwill, so ride the trails as signed, respect closures — especially in mud season — and support the clubs that keep them open.

Why these roads are worth the effort

The residents of Central Vermont have an attachment to their land and their natural environment that is hard to overstate. They revel in the mountains, the rush of the streams and the quiet of the fields, and they are committed to keeping the landscape recognisable. The back roads are the best way to see what that commitment has actually preserved: an agricultural landscape that still works, one hill at a time.

For the wider picture, see outdoor recreation and points of interest. For what the weather is likely to do to your plans, see the climate page.