Homegrown Vermont

Ride like a local with Waterbury as your HQ.

3 Riding Days • 6 Trail Networks • Riding-Focused Days • Foodie Favorite

Grant Wieler Photo

Waterbury, VT:

Bear Cieri Photo

Skip the resort town bustle in favor of quiet trail systems, public parks, and restaurants best loved by Vermont’s discerning and, let’s be honest, maybe a bit spoiled—locals.

Communities of riders have created endless miles of world-class mountain biking right out their back doors. Best-suited to riders who bring their own bikes and who are willing to do a bit of driving each day, this itinerary makes for an unforgettable eating and riding experience.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

Itinerary

There’s no shortage of delectables to be discovered in Waterbury. (Courtesy Pro Pig)

ARRIVAL DAY

Belly Up to Smoked Brisket

Pull off of Interstate 89 for a night’s stay at the Waterbury Best Western Plus. Waterbury has a cute downtown historic district, an outsized food scene, and convenient proximity to excellent cross-country trail networks and the downhill riding at Bolton Valley (where you can also stay for a more resort-y experience).

Pop into the lively Prohibition Pig for supper and stack your plate high with smoked brisket, mac & cheese, and duck fat fries. Top it off with an Old Fashioned (or another classic cocktail) and rest easy for tomorrow’s riding. 

VIDEO: Staying alert on Small Axe at Perry Hill (YouTube: Revel in the Ride)

DAY ONE - MORNING

Ride Perry Hill’s Longest Trail

Roll over to KC’s Bagel Cafe for a big breakfast sandwich or a New York-style bagel schmeared with one of their 13 flavors of house-made cream cheese.

Pop over to Perry Hill for the morning’s riding. After warming up on the pump track near the parking lot, climb up Scotch Tape, Permission, and Burning Spear: you’re now at the top of Small Axe, WATA’s longest trail. Take a break on the descent to give your hands a chance to catch up on the fun. 

Fresh ingredients and refreshing cocktails are on the menu at The Reservoir. (Courtesy photo)

DAY ONE - AFTERNOON

Swim in the Reservoir. Eat at The Reservoir.

Stop into The Village Market in Waterbury to fill your load up with lunch supplies, then head over to Little River State Park for a picnic by one of the state’s largest bodies of water. Created in the 1930s as a flood control project, the reservoir is designed to catch up to nine billion gallons of snowmelt and runoff before it washes into the Winooski River Valley each spring. After lunch, pedal up for a few laps on the park’s machine-built flow trails, then take a swim in the lake to cool off. For dinner, head over to The Reservoir (the other reservoir) for comfort food and sample a pint of creative craft beer. 

“Suffer through Cochrans' quad-burning climbs, but trust me–bombing down Scully's makes every pedal stroke worth it. Bolton's lower trails let you get your flow on, but the summit trails will have you questioning your line choice and bike handling skills–in the best way possible.”

VIDEO: Intermediate Jump Trails at Bolton Valley (YouTube: Green Mountain Biker)

DAY TWO - MORNING

Punch Your 1/2 Price Ticket to a Day of DH

Wipe the sleep from your eyes and pad over to Maxi’s for a big plate of classic breakfast food. (Be sure to try all of their house-made hot sauces.) Don’t worry if you feel sluggish upon leaving: today’s a day for lift-served riding. Drive up to Bolton Valley Resort, where your VMBA member benefit gets you 50% off your ticket to the bike park. Bolton first opened to mountain bikers in 2021, and already the resort has built a solid variety of trails, with flow, tech, and jump options all on offer. A few trails cater well to beginners, but note that the park in general appeals best to riders with more advanced skills. 

Try your hand at disc golf on Bolton’s free 9-hole course. (Paul Schaefer / Unsplash)

DAY TWO - AFTERNOON

Give Disc Golf a Spin

Once you’re ready to put your bike away, don’t leave Bolton just yet. There’s a nine hole chip ‘n’ putt disc golf course at the base of the Vista Quad chair lift, so why not stay a while? If you need to fortify yourself with a creemee or craft brew, stop into the BV Mountain Market—they’ll take care of you. Afterward, après at the nearby James Moore Tavern, where you can look back on the hill and recount stories from the day. Alternatively, if you’re up for it, drop back down to Waterbury to get your foodie on at one of its renowned restaurants. 

VIDEO: Ferns are a life force on Cochran’s climbs. (YouTube ProjectNortheast MTB)

DAY THREE - MORNING

Test your Mettle on OG Vermont Tech

Visit the Stowe Street Cafe first thing in the morning for food, locally-sourced coffee, and warm community feelings. If it’s Saturday or Sunday, you’re in luck: you’ve arrived just in time to snag one of their sought after sticky buns. Peruse the local art around the shop while you wait, then load into the car for a quick drive up to Richmond. Ride the trails at Cochran’s Ski Area all morning. This zone doesn’t skimp on climbing, but descending Skully's will make all that uphill huffing worth it. And—pro tip—unless you're a masochist, ascend Jimmy Cliff instead of IPT for a more welcoming way to the top. 

VIDEO: The Driving Range, Spencer’s POV (YouTube: Spencer Adventure)

DAY THREE - AFTERNOON

Go Big (in a Way That’s True to You)

Swing into Sweet Simone’s for a bite and make a choice: jumpy or mellow. Feeling jumpy? Check-in at The Driving Range, a bike-park style progressive trail system. Designed with the needs of adaptive mountain bikers in mind, The Driving Range has some of the biggest jumps in the state. Or keep it mellow, and ride Chamberlain Hill, where an approachable climb earns you three lengthy descent options.

After your ride, head to Stone Corral for seasonal, old-world style beers and an eclectic menu of homemade food. Skip over to I-89 and arrive home for an early bedtime. 

Stay, Eat, Shop

WHERE TO STAY, EAT & SHOP

  • Pick Bolton Valley Lodging** for a resort experience complete with pickleball courts, a pool, and fantastic trails right out your back door.

    The Best Western Plus in Waterbury offers a convenient location as a base of operations for exploring the area.

    Camp, rent a cabin, or shack up in a lean-to at Little River State Park, where there’s plenty of opportunity to picnic, swim in the Waterbury Reservoir, and ride the park’s machine-built flow trails.  

    Stay off the beaten path by riding into either the Dark Star Cabin** or Crow’s Nest Yurt**. These cool accommodations cannot be accessed by car, only with a short 1.5-mile, 450 foot ascent, on foot or bike.

    ** Offers a VMBA Member Benefit

  • Prohibition Pig in Waterbury specializes in smoked meats, classic cocktails, and local craft beer. 

    KC’s Bagel Cafe in Waterbury is known for its New York-style bagels but also serves a solid deli menu of sandwiches, soups, baked goods, and more. 

    The Village Market in Waterbury is a full-service supermarket stocked with items from local vendors and small businesses. 

    The Reservoir** in Waterbury is a tap house and restaurant with a beer list that reads like a record of the state’s best hits.

    Maxi’s in Waterbury serves a large menu of breakfast classics best topped with one of its homemade hot sauces. 

    The James Moore Tavern** serves smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, and other pub favorites at the base of Bolton Valley Resort.

    Stowe Street Cafe in Waterbury is a community hub for locally sourced coffee, food, and art. Stop by on Saturday or Sunday for their sought-after sticky buns. 

    Sweet Simone’s Bakery and Cafe** recently expanded beyond its drool-worthy pastry case to add a savory side to the business, including an Italian provisions section with a rotating selection of sandwiches, pizzas, and other deli items. 

    Stone Corral** in Richmond is a family-owned and -operated brewery specializing in German, Belgian, and British styles. 

    The On-Farm Market at Maple Wind Farm offers pasture-raised meats and eggs as well as other highlights from Vermont-based producers. 

    The Jericho Center Country Store was founded in 1807 and is one of Vermont’s longest running country stores. Stop in for Vermont-made goods, a deli sandwich, and a real maple creemee.  

    Palmer Lane Maple is a local maple syrup producer with a reputation for making some of the best maple creemees around. 

    For recommendations suited to die-hard foodies, look to The Boston Globe’s celebratory survey of Waterbury’s food scene.

    ** Offers a VMBA Member Benefit

  • Bicycle Express** in Waterbury can handle all of your sales, service, apparel, and accessory needs and also offers a fleet of demo bikes for rent.

    Bolton Valley Bike Shop** has performance gravity and enduro bikes for rent and all rentals include pads and a helmet.  

    Slopestyle** is Montpelier’s local ski and bike shop, staffed with friendly enthusiasts who can help you with service, as well as new bikes and accessories.

    Vermont Bicycle Shop** can be found down the road a bit, in Barre, and has a wide selection of bikes, including e-MTBs.

    Waterbury Sports** is your one-stop shop for your Vermont adventure, offering bike sales and rentals, camping gear, disc golf sets, tennis racquets, and more.

    ** Offers a VMBA Member Benefit

  • Picnic, take a dip in the Waterbury Reservoir (one of the state’s largest bodies of water), or ride the machine-built flow trails at Little River State Park in Waterbury. 

    Try your hand at disc golf with the free pitch and putt course at Bolton Valley Resort. 

    Take the kids to the playground at the Waterbury Village Green. 

    Check out some Vermont-made soft goods at Class 4 Designs and Mola Hoods in Richmond. 

    Float the Winooski River—either bring your own tubes or rent them from Umiak Outdoor Outfitters. 

    Take the kids to the kid-friendly progression bike path at Richmond Elementary School. 

  • You can save a lot of money by becoming a VMBA member before your trip! 

    Becoming a VMBA member supports mountain biking and trails throughout Vermont, as well as our local chapters. 

    Everyone is welcome. Individual memberships are $60, with discounts available for families and those under 25. 

    Join VMBA today for immediate access to the member benefits in this region, through our App**.

    STAY

    EAT & DRINK

    BIKE SHOPS

    ACTIVITIES

    BIKE PARKS

    Local VMBA Chapters:

    **Please note that restrictions may apply to the above offers. Please consult the VMBA Member App for terms and conditions for each of these offers.

Trail Networks

ROUTES & RIDE TIPS

“Don't sleep on The Driving Range–I've watched riders progress from mellow rollers to sending Vermont's biggest jump line (though I still scout those gaps every time). Perry Hill is your go-to when you need an enduro fix, especially now that Six Flags got that sweet makeover.”

Perry Hill Trails

Perry Hill

Trailforks Routes

Perry Hill Trails Website

Waterbury Area Trail Alliance VMBA Chapter

What it lacks in quantity, this 10-mile trail system near Waterbury makes up for in quality. Fun climbs and a little bit of everything—including both fast and technical descents—have given this area a reputation across the state.  

Perry Hill Videos

Little River State Park

Little River State Park

Trailforks Routes

Little River State Park Website

Waterbury Area Trail Alliance VMBA Chapter

Located on the edge of Waterbury Reservoir, this system combines approachable singletrack ascents with two machine-built flow trails. Get ready to lap. 

Little River State Park Videos

Bolton Valley Bike Park

Bolton Valley Resort

Trailforks Routes

Bolton Valley Website

Bolton Valley VMBA Partner

First opened in 2021, this new bike park includes over 900 feet of vertical descending. While there are a few beginner-appropriate trails down low, the upper park includes some of the gnarliest riding in the state and caters best to more advanced riders. 

Bolton Valley Bike Park Videos

Cochran’s Ski Area

Cochran’s Ski Area

Trailforks Routes

Cochran’s Ski Area Website

Richmond Mountain Trails VMBA Chapter

Nine miles of trails traverse this ski area as it lies dormant in the off-season. Go here for old-school New England tech, lung-busting climbs, and a few notably fun descents. 

Cochran’s Ski Area Videos

The Driving Range

The Driving Range

Trailforks Routes

The Driving Range Website

Richmond Mountain Trails VMBA Chapter

This bike park-style trail system is an adaptive mountain bike network and meant to be lapped. It includes progressive features including ladder bridges, drops, and rollers, and some of the biggest jumps in Vermont, meaning everyone can find a place to push their limits here.

The Driving Range Videos

Chamberlain Hill

Chamberlain Hill

Trailforks Routes

Chamberlain Hill Website

Richmond Mountain Trails VMBA Chapter

Accessible via a pleasant ride across a farm field, this area includes an approachable climb that leads to three stunning, long-duration descent options. 

Chamberlain Hill Trail Videos