Vermont Bike Tour

Meet your guides in Burlington for a quick transfer into the Champlain Valley. Here, we’ll kick off with a bike fitting and safety review, followed by a lunch featuring products from local farms. Then it’s time for our first ride through the agricultural breadbasket of Vermont. Stop in scenic Bristol for a creemee, the state’s beloved soft serve, then choose to transfer to our first hotel or opt for an extra climb over Lincoln Gap—widely considered the most challenging of the four passes that cross the mountains of central Vermont. Check into our picturesque inn in the heart of the Mad River Valley before regrouping for dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants.

Meals: Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Bristol, Lincoln, Waitsfield
Accomplished: 22 miles / 35 km, elevation gain: 1,879 feet / 573 meters
Longer Option: 37 miles / 60 km, elevation gain: 3,982 feet / 1,214 meters
Accommodations: The Inn at Round Barn Farm

Situated at the center of the state, the Mad River Valley’s reputation as a ski destination is well-known. But the summertime brings a whole different set of pleasures: a massive network of gravel roads lie parallel to the main corridor on Route 100, lined with farms that yield a staggering variety of local products: organic meats, small-batch cheeses, shiitake mushrooms, berries, and heirloom butter. Today is a veritable two-wheel farm tour as we bike around the valley meeting these producers, sampling their goods, and putting a face to a new generation of agriculture. The afternoon culminates in an al fresco lunch at a mountain farmstead. Bike back to Waitsfield to relax before dinner.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Waitsfield, Warren, Sugarbush
Accomplished: 31 miles / 50 km, elevation gain: 3,244 feet / 989 meters
Longer Option: 45 miles / 73 km, elevation gain: 5,218 feet / 1,772 meters
Accommodations: The Inn at Round Barn Farm

Today we leave Round Barn and head north into Stowe following the Mad River. Cross the Winooski River before pedaling into Waterbury, a frozen-in-time New England town where we’ll pause for lunch. Catch a lift to our next hotel in the van, or choose to keep riding to the Gold Brook Covered Bridge. Built in 1844, this protected landmark is the area’s only surviving example of an original covered bridge. Upon reaching our next hotel, settle in and relish the amenities of the property before heading into Stowe later in the evening for dinner.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Middlesex, Waterbury, Stowe
Accomplished: 22 miles / 35 km, elevation gain: 1,066 feet / 324 meters
Longer Option: 32 miles / 51 km, elevation gain: 2,095 feet / 639 meters
Accommodations: Edson Hill or AWOL

When in Vermont, Smugglers’ Notch tops the list of must-do rides. This narrow, twisty pass is understandably challenging—it serves as a ski resort in wintertime—and we’ll approach it through the Green Mountains, hauling our way up the 1,000-foot cliffs. After a few warmup miles we hit a six-mile section at 5% average grade; luckily, the waterfalls and mountain views make for a good distraction. At last, we’re rewarded with a long, exhilarating descent that’s full of epic leaf peeping in the fall. With our big ride behind us, sit down to lunch at a local farm and refuel on home-grown produce. Call it a day and return to Stowe for an afternoon of shopping and strolling the town. Or, if you’re feeling strong, tackle Smugglers’ Notch in reverse and earn bragging rights for conquering this pass forwards and backwards. We’ll spend our final evening together celebrating over a festive final dinner.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Smugglers’ Notch, Jeffersonville, Pleasant Valley
Accomplished: 21 miles / 33 km, elevation gain: 2,076 feet / 633 meters
Longer Option: 36 miles / 59 km, elevation gain: 4,542 feet / 1,384 meters
Accommodations: Edson Hill or AWOL

Savor a slow start at Edson Hill—perhaps a fireside coffee or crisp morning walk—or take out your bike for one last loop on Vermont’s rolling roads. Your guides will transfer you back to downtown Burlington or to the airport as you bid farewell to this beautiful corner of the country.

Meals: Breakfast
Destinations: Stowe