Find the top rated trails in Northfield, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Colchester Bayside to Village Path runs for nearly 4 miles along the southeast tip of Malletts Bay near Colchester Village. The path links the Malletts Bay Campground on the west end with...
Located in Burlington’s North End, 67-acre Ethan Allen Park has approximately 4 miles of woodland trails and smaller spurs, which create nested loops around the scenic park and offer views of the...
The South Barre Bike Path is a paved trail approximately 1 mile long, running from Bridge Street in south Barre to Fairview Street in Barre City. The path passes the Barre City Elementary and Middle...
Lake Champlain virtually laps at your feet for long sections of the 13.4-mile Island Line Rail Trail. Rolling through waterfront parks in Burlington and Colchester, the trail crosses the lake on a...
Residents in South Burlington formed a grassroots coalition in the late 1980s to create a safer way to travel within Burlington’s extensive system of parks, schools, and neighborhoods. In the early...
Niquette Bay State Park has a series of trails, most of which are open to foot traffic and cross-country skiers only. Bikes are allowed on the Allen Trail, which runs between the parking area and the...
The Marshall Avenue Bike Path provides a nice nonmotorized route for linking neighborhoods with shopping in the Burlington suburb of Williston. The trail runs between Maple Tree Place and S. Brownell...
The Williston Village Bike Path links neighborhoods, schools, parks, shopping areas, and restaurants in the suburban town of Williston via a collection of connector trails. The eastern 1.2-mile...
The Riverside Avenue Bike Path parallels Riverside Avenue (on the north side) between Winooski Avenue and Mill Street at Colchester Avenue bridge. The path provides an off-road route for those wanting...
The Stowe Recreation Path encapsulates the best parts of Vermont mountain life. During summer the vegetation is lush and green, and the nearby West Branch Little River keeps the trail cool and...
The Millstone Hill West Bike Path connects the charming communities of Graniteville and Websterville in central Vermont. The trail is part of the Central Vermont Path, a proposed trail network to...
The Mascoma River Greenway is a planned 4-mile non-motorized pathway through the heart of Lebanon. The trail is envisioned to link West Lebanon to the Northern Rail Trail, which spans more than 50...
The Route 127 Path parallels State Route 127 between Ethan Allen Park and Manhattan Drive in Burlington's Old North End. The path links suburbs and parks, and passes by the Ethan Allen Homestead,...
In Woodsville the trail starts across from the Subway Restaurant across from the the Oceans Job Lot Store and next to the Woodsville Machine Shop and YES Yankee Electrical Supply up and down a short...
The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) is a growing, year-round trail across northern Vermont that will one day stretch 93 miles between St. Johnsbury and Swanton. The trail passes through the spine of...
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path runs the length of the Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountain National Forest. Commonly called the Recreation Path, the 8.7-mile trail visits most of the...
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The Montpelier Recreation Path, which follows the Winooski River in downtown Montpelier, is currently divided into two paved pathways: Winooski West and Winooski East on either side of the North...
The Essex Bike Paths comprise two segments on the northeast side of Essex Junction Village, forming a spiderweb of paved routes throughout neighborhoods and a shopping mall near the intersection of...
The Williston Village Bike Path links neighborhoods, schools, parks, shopping areas, and restaurants in the suburban town of Williston via a collection of connector trails. The eastern 1.2-mile...
The Cross Vermont Trail (CVT) is a statewide route that links a number of Vermont trails and includes on-road sections. As of January 2016, 87 miles of trail are built and scattered across the state....
The Arms Park Trails are a network of woodland paths in the park behind Burlington High School and the surrounding properties of Rock Point School and Vermont's Episcopal Diocese offices. Some of the...
The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) is a growing, year-round trail across northern Vermont that will one day stretch 93 miles between St. Johnsbury and Swanton. The trail passes through the spine of...
Wright Park Trail forms a loop over nearly 4 miles (not all shown on the map) throughout the heavily wooded Wright Park. The White Circle Trail follows Otter Creek River, and along here you'll pass...
The South Barre Bike Path is a paved trail approximately 1 mile long, running from Bridge Street in south Barre to Fairview Street in Barre City. The path passes the Barre City Elementary and Middle...
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path runs the length of the Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountain National Forest. Commonly called the Recreation Path, the 8.7-mile trail visits most of the...
The Montpelier Recreation Path, which follows the Winooski River in downtown Montpelier, is currently divided into two paved pathways: Winooski West and Winooski East on either side of the North...
The Colchester Bayside to Village Path runs for nearly 4 miles along the southeast tip of Malletts Bay near Colchester Village. The path links the Malletts Bay Campground on the west end with...
Spanning 57.6 miles from Lebanon to Boscawen, the Northern Rail Trail is New Hampshire’s longest rail-trail conversion. Trail development began in 1996 after the state purchased the Boston and Maine...
The Intervale Trail in Burlington makes for a nice urban refuge from the city bustle. The trail traverses the bottomlands along the Winooski River through a farmland cooperative (the Intervale...
Cambridge Greenway hugs the Lamoille River through the village of Jeffersonville in northern Vermont, about 30 miles northeast of Burlington. It is a four-season trail, popular with cross-country...
The Route 127 Path parallels State Route 127 between Ethan Allen Park and Manhattan Drive in Burlington's Old North End. The path links suburbs and parks, and passes by the Ethan Allen Homestead,...
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Locals lovingly describe the Cross Vermont Trail as a patchwork quilt that will ultimately form a 90-mile trail from Lake Champlain in the west to the Connecticut River in the east. A component of the...
The Battell Woods Trail is a network of loops through the forest preserve, between US 7/SR 125 at the south end and Seminary Street Extension on the north end. The eastern-most segment of the trail...
The Stowe Recreation Path encapsulates the best parts of Vermont mountain life. During summer the vegetation is lush and green, and the nearby West Branch Little River keeps the trail cool and...
Though just under a mile, the Johnnie Brook Road Trail is an important link in the much-longer Cross Vermont Trail system, linking Richmond and Williston. To make that connection, you must use the...
The Delaware and Hudson Rail-Trail follows the flowing contours of the western Vermont countryside, rambling in and out of New York state, where you’ll find a 4-mile gap. This border area is known as...
The Means Woods Trail is a segment of the Trail Around Middlebury (TAM) and runs between Seminary Street Extension into Means Woods and the Aurora School off Peterson Terrace, east of the downtown...
The Marshall Avenue Bike Path provides a nice nonmotorized route for linking neighborhoods with shopping in the Burlington suburb of Williston. The trail runs between Maple Tree Place and S. Brownell...
Though just under a mile, the Johnnie Brook Road Trail is an important link in the much-longer Cross Vermont Trail system, linking Richmond and Williston. To make that connection, you must use the...
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path runs the length of the Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountain National Forest. Commonly called the Recreation Path, the 8.7-mile trail visits most of the...
The Means Woods Trail is a segment of the Trail Around Middlebury (TAM) and runs between Seminary Street Extension into Means Woods and the Aurora School off Peterson Terrace, east of the downtown...
Niquette Bay State Park has a series of trails, most of which are open to foot traffic and cross-country skiers only. Bikes are allowed on the Allen Trail, which runs between the parking area and the...
The Mascoma River Greenway is a planned 4-mile non-motorized pathway through the heart of Lebanon. The trail is envisioned to link West Lebanon to the Northern Rail Trail, which spans more than 50...
The Route 127 Path parallels State Route 127 between Ethan Allen Park and Manhattan Drive in Burlington's Old North End. The path links suburbs and parks, and passes by the Ethan Allen Homestead,...
The Cross Vermont Trail (CVT) is a statewide route that links a number of Vermont trails and includes on-road sections. As of January 2016, 87 miles of trail are built and scattered across the state....
Lake Champlain virtually laps at your feet for long sections of the 13.4-mile Island Line Rail Trail. Rolling through waterfront parks in Burlington and Colchester, the trail crosses the lake on a...
The Montpelier Recreation Path, which follows the Winooski River in downtown Montpelier, is currently divided into two paved pathways: Winooski West and Winooski East on either side of the North...
The Millstone Hill West Bike Path connects the charming communities of Graniteville and Websterville in central Vermont. The trail is part of the Central Vermont Path, a proposed trail network to...
The South Barre Bike Path is a paved trail approximately 1 mile long, running from Bridge Street in south Barre to Fairview Street in Barre City. The path passes the Barre City Elementary and Middle...
Wright Park Trail forms a loop over nearly 4 miles (not all shown on the map) throughout the heavily wooded Wright Park. The White Circle Trail follows Otter Creek River, and along here you'll pass...
The Essex Bike Paths comprise two segments on the northeast side of Essex Junction Village, forming a spiderweb of paved routes throughout neighborhoods and a shopping mall near the intersection of...
The Intervale Trail in Burlington makes for a nice urban refuge from the city bustle. The trail traverses the bottomlands along the Winooski River through a farmland cooperative (the Intervale...
Nature and history enthusiasts will delight in the Ti-Haul Trail and Shelburne Bay Park Rec Path, two short but scenic trails linked by a pleasant 104-acre park in Shelburne, Vermont. Forming an...
The Arms Park Trails are a network of woodland paths in the park behind Burlington High School and the surrounding properties of Rock Point School and Vermont's Episcopal Diocese offices. Some of the...
The Williston Village Bike Path links neighborhoods, schools, parks, shopping areas, and restaurants in the suburban town of Williston via a collection of connector trails. The eastern 1.2-mile...
Located in Burlington’s North End, 67-acre Ethan Allen Park has approximately 4 miles of woodland trails and smaller spurs, which create nested loops around the scenic park and offer views of the...
Residents in South Burlington formed a grassroots coalition in the late 1980s to create a safer way to travel within Burlington’s extensive system of parks, schools, and neighborhoods. In the early...
The Riverside Avenue Bike Path parallels Riverside Avenue (on the north side) between Winooski Avenue and Mill Street at Colchester Avenue bridge. The path provides an off-road route for those wanting...
Beautiful trail. I would suggest parking at the Causeway Bike Path Parking lot. We parked at Oakledge Park and headed out. Very busy in a few spots. Never actually made it all the way to the end, we were about 3 miles shy. When we arrived back at our vehicle we had a little tag on our windshield as did many other cars stating we parked without a pass and needed to pay. We rolled right in the park and NOWHERE did we see a sign that said you needed a pass or pay to park. Otherwise the trail is very busy but really beautiful and not too hard.
I biked the 13.50 mile section from Canaan to Lebanon (and back). The surface is mostly packed gravel. The first three miles (from Canaan) is challenging as the gravel is somewhat looser. However, I had no real problem on my Trek Dual Sport bike. The section along Mascoma Lake is beautiful. I startled a couple of deer along the way.
I love the rail trail. I walk 4 miles almost every day. But this year the trail is not being maintained as well as previous years. I walk mainly between mile marker 56 & 58. It has been mowed only once this year and it was a pretty bad job. Right now there is rag weed, Golden rod, queens lace and other weeds that cause people with allergies to flare up over 2 feet high. I actually have a terrible case of vertigo that my doctors feel has been caused by allergies. The mowing machine actually leaves a wide patch of unmowed area that I assume is a result of a damaged blade. This years maintenance has been a disappointment.
I just completed a 300 plus mile bike packing trip in NH. I hit some pretty rough gravel roads and trails intentionally - but tried out several rail trails as well. I have to say this one was the least user friendly for a cyclist. I rode a from a few miles outside Lisbon to Bath. The ballast stones and underlying washboard was pretty bouncy even on my 40 mm tires with about 30 psi. I did like how uncrowded it was and the location, but otherwise it was pretty miserable riding.
We rode this trail in late June while staying at Canon Mountain RV park. The views were beautiful. We stopped at scenic spots and found picnic tables for lunch and a card game. Beautiful and well maintained.
I doubt very many people bike the trail. The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail, in it's current condition, is best for ATVs. The trail is strewn with rocks, stone, loose gravel and lots of ballast.
Mountain bikes with large wheels and strong plus-sized tires may find it a breeze, but this was not a fun pedal on knobby 2.2 inch Mountain Kings on 26" rims.
However, this trail is very scenic, with lots of places to swim or float; the Bath Village Bridge was a joy to discover.
On my return from Littleton, and swim in the river there, a deer came running across the adjacent field, turned and crossed the trail, pausing momentarily to snort, then leapt through a thicket and disappeared.
South of Lisbon I spotted a black bear crossing the trail after climbing up the steep embankment from the river.
I've been a hiker for about 20 years. For some reason I'm not into it that much anymore, so I bought my Trek D-3. This trail is perfect for smooth hard dirt riding. I only did about 8 miles round trip from the Webster Beach area. I'm new to biking and noticed I'm using different muscles then hiking. But I am retired and try to get out every day. Soon 8 miles will be nothing. That should be coming up and I'm going to go back to this rail trail. It's very shady and relaxing. I plan on doubling that mileage on my next visit here.
Easy riding for a mountain bike (cinder and ballast). Not crowded on a weekday, only saw two ATV groups and two cyclists. Not quite as scenic as I expected, but still a great ride. We’ll be back to complete the ride.
Rode a hybrid the approx.12 mile stretch out and back between Rts. 302 and 2. This is not a typical rail trail with a uniform surface. It’s a dirt surface with occasional protruding rocks. Not for road tires or slicks. That said, the surface and trail conditions were good and it was easy to maintain a nice pace.
This stretch is essentially two long but very gradual hills. The trail is shaded throughout and travels through beautiful forest, past streams and wetlands with occasional views of ponds.
The trail is quiet and secluded but nearby state park campgrounds are easy to reach and there’s a short side trail to Kettle Pond. Looking forward to riding this trail again - after the black flies have flown south for the winter.
Since I left for college my home town of Burlington, Vermont has developed with thoughtful civic prosperity.
One element of this peaceful, intelligent town is vast improvement in the public interest of the spectacular waterfront along Lake Champlain ("The West Coast of New England"). World class facilities are taking shape on the edge of this iconic water that was once part of an inland sea. There is a deeply nuanced museum (ECHO) for families that interprets the wilderness that is the lake and its many tributaries. There is also a very nice skateboard park and open recreational spaces.
My dad and I chose the waterfront park as our starting point. This is a nicely paved section that rides fast and polite. Although I saw quite a few full dog waste bags along the sides of the trail I did not see any dogs in 22 miles of riding, and no waste on the trail.
Very quickly all signs of the city almost vanish and having escaped the shelter of the harbor breakwater one starts to notice the subtle sound of waves lapping against the beach to the west. April is a great time to ride this trail for the diversity of flora and fauna. The birds were spectacular.
We took a short break at North Beach and met up with my best friend of 40 years and continued our push to the North end of the causeway. He encouraged us to pause and absorb our sacred lake. When you grow up on a major body of water it dominates every fiber of your soul. The power of water cannot be underestimated. It's physical properties defy our best efforts to control it. Bowing in respect for this energy we established cadence and a pedal drive North.
The sky was cold sapphire blue. Also spectacular were the Ice formations that encased the west side of the causeway after we crossed the Winooski River on a rusty but happy Iron truss bridge.
What was spectacular in a relatively cold and slightly discouraging way was the 40mph cross wind we had to fight all the way to the winter terminus of the causeway. In summer there is a little pedestrian/bike ferry that jumps the old swing bridge gap and allows riders to access South Hero and Grand Isle.
Anyhow, we battled the wind at a 5 degree cant. All of us leaning into the wind and hoping it wouldn't throw us in the lake or on to the causeway fill off the side of the (very nice) smooth cinder trail. There is no easy emergency exit at any point on the causeway. You are almost guaranteed a trip to the hospital if you wipe out and go off the trail. Please be very careful on the Causeway, especially with children. There is a lot of opportunity for self destruction caused(wayed;-) by inattention.
The thrill is entirely worth the ride, even with unfavorable wind. Our views of the Greens and the Dacks and the birds and the islands and the the the...
You get it.
It is a wilderness experience in the city.
We eventually reached the swing bridge pier. Staring out over the north country virtually speechless for the privilege of the experience. Reconciliation of my relationship with Burlington...with my childhood.
I now know that I do not need to worry about returning to my birth home. Hiding out west for 28 years gave me perspective on what I left behind. What I see in my home state is the prospect of adventure, and I hope to get back a bit more frequently in the next 28 years. When I moved West I found sanctuary in the vast wilderness, climate diversity and sparse population centers. It was a huge change from living in the Northeast.
Now, the Northeast has changed dramatically. The population has embraced technology and the impending, changing future. Everything seems fresh with fresher on the way soon. New open space is becoming accessible every day. It is inspiring to see how the communities of New England have embraced their history, and continue to innovate without forgetting the cultures that led to the development of the region.
When I used to run this trail for cross country, skiing, and track in high school, it was unrefined. Now it is becoming a capstone of the Burlington waterfront. The surfaces are much better than they used to be. The vision is forward. North, South, East and West. There is no reason that Vermont cannot be completely connected by rail-trail and bike paths and rural roads. Forward is the direction of bicycles.
As we returned to my dads house I reflected on my 28 years absence from bicycling in Vermont. At 5 years old my dad bought me my first bike, a chopper with a banana seat. It was yellow. A few wrecks in the driveway and I was off in to traffic. I never felt so liberated, such freedom. We moved to the city because my dad didn't want to commute by car. He rode his bike or walked to work almost every day of his teaching career. I know where my half my heart came from.
BMX came in fast and I couldn't afford a new bike in that era because my family moved to Europe and that was expensive. When we returned BMX was losing popularity so I (my Dad) bought a Peugot road bike. I road that bike on what was called the "Burlington Bike Path" hundreds of miles. I road all over town on that bike for four years.
Then along came mountain bikes. By this point I was working almost full time, so I was able to save enough money to buy a Specialized Rock Hopper Comp (forest service green) 1988. I still ride it, and it is worth considerably more than the 689USD I paid for it. Best bike ever. I rode that one in Vermont, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico and Idaho. Now, I think Carmen is slowly moving towards retirement. It is hard to retire a bike. That bike took me from high school to prosperity. Not the same thing as putting down a loyal pet, but that bike was my wingman in the early years of my adulthood.
So, back in Burlington...pre-ride. I have no bike. I flew out so it just made more sense to rent one one in Burlington.
I am weak, so I just wandered into my favorite outdoor store, found a very well priced (gravel grinder) crossover and bought it. The staff were almost jealous. Everyone had their eye on this bike. Now I have to justify it to my wife.
Truth be told I bought it for selfish reasons--I wanted it. Secondary is my justification, which is sincere. Health.
My dad is 75. 76 this July. He had no problem riding the 22 miles in 6 degree 40mph wind. I have two sisters that have four boys total, all between age 10 and 14. All about as tall as I am. Between my sisters and their spouses, and the nephews, there are 8 people who can ride this bike with my dad.
It is a chance to bond and breathe a bit too. This bike is bigger than any of us.
The Island Line Trail is a work in progress in the context of the greater effort to connect our continent with smooth, car free cycle zones. Imagine, if I didn't need to own a car I could easily take an extra month off each year, and travel by bike to Vermont. Each time I would buy another bike and still be money ahead to eat at many fine restaurants along the way.
My only fear is the mid west. 1000 miles of mono-culture, and it runs 1000 miles north south too. There is no escape from the swing of catharsis and boredom in these situations. Perhaps a quick stop in Colorado is required before dropping into America's skateboard ramp. If you don't use your breaks you can roll clear to the Mississippi.
Just kidding.
I hope the larger message has come across in this post. I wish for all bicycle enthusiasts to see it as a venue for maintaining quality of relationships with friends and family until health eclipses intention. Until that impasse I will try to keep all of my loved ones active.
Peace
Couple of week ago I took the Winnipesaukee River Trail from my house in Northfield to Franklin and while biking route 3 I came across the Northern Rail Trail going southbound to Concord, then biked back. It was a nice 40 mile bike ride round trip. Next year I would like to bike northbound from the Winnipesaukee River Trail to the North Rail Trail northbound to West Lebanon NH. My only concern is where to connect onto this trail so I am not back tracking too far. I have driven route 11 beside the trail to find the best access to get on after getting off the Winnipesaukee River Trail. Any suggestions or best route would be great. Love both trails and plan to bike them more next season.
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