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Unlike a thru-hiking route, the Velomont is designed as a multi-use system with mountain biking as a central focus, weaving together public and private lands across the spine of the Green Mountains.
Vermont’s dream of a hut-to-hut trail stretching the length of the state just took a major step forward. The U.S. Forest Service has approved the designation of 72 miles of National Forest System roads and trails in the Manchester Ranger District as part of the Velomont Trail, a project designed to link communities, expand outdoor recreation, and protect some of the Green Mountain State’s most cherished landscapes.
A Trail That Spans Vermont
The Velomont Trail, a partnership between Vermont Huts & Trails (VHT) and the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA), is envisioned as a 485-mile corridor running from Massachusetts to Canada. Unlike a simple thru-hiking route, the Velomont is designed as a multi-use system with mountain biking as a central focus, weaving together public and private lands across the spine of the Green Mountains.
When complete, the trail will connect 27 communities and 23 VMBA chapters. Riders, hikers, and skiers will be able to travel from town to town and between backcountry huts, with 30 new cabins and five new downtown hostels planned along the way. Organizers say the trail will be adaptive-friendly wherever possible, ensuring access for a wide range of users.
What the Forest Service Approved
The newly approved 72-mile segment is not a single ribbon of fresh construction, but rather a mix of upgrades, relocations, and new builds. The goal is to make routes more sustainable while improving the outdoor experience. According to project organizers, this section will create new opportunities for mountain biking in areas where trail access has been limited and will open up fresh entry points for outdoor recreation in southern Vermont.
The designation is a milestone. It not only legitimizes the Velomont’s footprint inside the Green Mountain National Forest but also signals strong federal support for the vision of a statewide trail network.
More Than Recreation: Conservation and Economy
Backers of the Velomont emphasize that the project is as much about conservation and community development as it is about recreation. Organizers estimate the trail could help conserve up to 214,000 acres of currently unprotected land, tying recreation planning to broader land stewardship.
It’s also an economic play. Trail construction and hut building will employ and train more than 300 young adults, creating pathways to outdoor careers. Once complete, the Velomont is expected to drive tourism in rural towns that have often been bypassed, strengthening local economies with new lodging, dining, and guiding opportunities.
Vermont in a Regional Context
Vermont has long marketed itself as a four-season playground, but the Velomont would put the state on par with world-class trail networks. While New Hampshire’s White Mountains boast the Appalachian Mountain Club’s hut system, and Maine has the hut-to-hut Maine Huts & Trails network, Vermont’s project is unique in its integration of mountain biking with hiking, skiing, and multi-use access.
Supporters note that once completed, the Velomont will be the largest hut-supported trail network in the United States, with Vermont serving as the proving ground for a new model of recreation-based rural revitalization.
What’s Next?
Work is already underway on sections of the Velomont, with volunteers, trail crews, and local communities pitching in. The Forest Service approval now allows for construction and improvements within the Green Mountain National Forest to begin in earnest.
For many, the approval is more than a bureaucratic step — it’s validation of a big idea. A decade ago, the concept of biking or hiking from Massachusetts to Canada with overnight hut stays sounded aspirational. Today, with 72 miles newly approved inside the national forest, the Velomont Trail feels a lot closer to reality.
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Categories: Outdoors
Who’s paying? How much? Who is going to pay to maintain it?
1. You. 2. A lot 3. You
Oh, great. An old timey bicycle drug delivery system into northeastern Vermont.
As a mountain biker this is exciting. The local chapters of VMBA as well as VMBA are member supported and maintain trails. It’s not a big tax boondoggle. MTB is a proven revenue generator for communities. East Burke and the Kingdom Trails is an easy example.
Only those that own businesses in along this trail system stand to share in the so-called revenue brought by these trails. Those people that just live here, non-business owners, get nothing.
While I understand the appeal for mountain bikers. This does nothing for the overall Vermont community who will be forced to deal with additional road traffic. Why is Vermont incapable of unwilling to bring meaningful work to Vermonters to drive economic growth? Vermont is an aging population.
Additional road traffic? You do realize these trails are going to be built in the forest, eh? And it will help the overall vermont community because they will be healthier from exercising, which will reduce the burden on the healthcare industry, unless you think less exercise in our natural, forested woodlands is healthier…? In regards to your statement about ‘incapable of unwilling to bring meaningful work to Vermonters to drive economic growth’, my opinion is that this is as meaningful as work can get. Trail builders take incredible pride in building trails that generations of people will appreciate and be healthier because of. Your suggestion that building hiking / biking trail is not meaningful is ridiculous. Vermont is an aging population and I would guess that those elderly people would like to see the younger generations enjoy nature rather than play on computers like you and I are doing to complain about building nature trails.
Nick, the Boomers were the ones took away all the places for kids to play and then complain that they are playing video games all day. Why do something for families and young people when we can allocate even more resources to the Boomers? Why build a trail when we could be paving the woods so they can hunt with ATV’s?
Will this system be shut down during hunting seasons or will they post all the property, thereby taking a little more from Vermonters for just one business.
The land being used is a mix of federal and private. So the federal land wouldn’t be posted during hunting season, although the longstanding limits on hunting within the GMNF would remain. And the decision to post private land is that of the property owner, nothing the public can or should do about the right of private property owners.
You’ve got three rather ignorant comments on this story Dan, including mention of an “old timey bicycle drug delivery system”
Really??
Do you simply despise mountain bikers or have a grudge against outdoor recreational opportunities?
Vermont’s public lands should be available, cultivated and maintained for all to use and enjoy.
This is a great endeavor. Mountain biking and hiking are great ways to get exercise and stay healthy. It’s great that our state is willing to expand recreational activities to our people and visitors that does not include electronic devices and screen time. It will cost money, but the benefits of healthier people is well worth it. As a member of VMBA I’m happy to donate extra money to support the cause. There are so many amazing biking trails throughout VT. It’s a growing recreational sport that our collective dollars should be spent on. In comparison, I want to point out that Trump prefers to spend our collective dollars on owning Intel, a company focused on computers and screen time. To those of you who want healthy children, what is better: getting outdoors in nature or faster processing speeds for our AI computer models? Seriously, what would you rather spend our collective dollars on: human’s experiencing nature and riding bikes and hiking or advancement in faster computer chip technology? I choose human’s experiencing nature. But I’m bias, probably because I’m human.
Older people, retirees, non riders don’t care if people come to ride, just don’t think that everybody has to bend over backwards to accommodate these endeavors. You all say it’s good for the local economy, but only for those businesses that cater to the trend. Six months out of the year, you can’t really ride unless you buy another special bike. I’ve been made aware of the trails placed through wet lands, people riding over tree roots causing damage, leaving a trench, one foot wide and six inches deep for hundreds of miles and you think it’s an environmentally friendly activity? We can’t pick one business to invest Americas money in but it’s okay for the state to do so. I guess that if my comments are “ignorant” , then being a native Vermonters for over 71 years has helped you all to look in a mirror.
Dan, you are overblowing a most basic endeavor. You’re complaining about a path in the woods. Literally. 12″ wide and 6″ deep that goes around trees rather than cutting them down. A path in the woods. And yes, some trees will suffer root damage and bark damage. But they will survive without struggling. I can’t believe you’re complaining about a trail in the woods. In regards to you saying: “We can’t pick one business to invest Americas money in but it’s okay for the state to do so.” That continues my narrative that republicans are slow creeping toward socialism. Do you really want America to have ownership in businesses? Are you in favor of the government owning businesses? I am not. I’d much rather build trails in the woods than have our government own a computer chip making factory.
Mr. Davis,
Sometimes you have to force yourself to make ignorant statements so Democrats can understand them.
Don’t give away all your 4D chess strategies.