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Did you know?
Climbing Ropes hold over 6000 Pounds!

Photo Courtesy of Stafford Technical Center Let our experienced guides take you for the ride of a lifetime.

Mountain Biking:

Vermont Adventure Tours offers half and full day cross-country mountain bike tours through-out central Vermont. Tours are for all ability levels, beginner to expert. We also offer mountain bike skill clinics. Each tour can be customized to fit your desires and to give you a great experience while you are with us. Riding skills, bike handling, exposure to various terrain surfaces, trail etiquette, and environmental impacts are all issues and topics you will learn.

Rates:

*All tours include bike, helmet, water and bottle, and an experienced local guide.

Group Biking Programs:
Have a group looking for an adventure? You found it! Let us give your group an awesome day on the trail.  We will keep the student to guide ratio no larger than 5:1. Groups are limited to 10 in size, call for larger groups. Please call at least a week in advance to book your group. *"Groups" are limited to school, church, boy scout, or other non-profit groups. All other groups, please see private guiding prices, listed above.

Equipment:
We supply you with either a K2 Zed 3.0 hard tail mountain bike or a K2 Xterra hard tail mountain bike. Both bike feature Shimano rapid fire shifters and front suspension forks. The Zed 3.0s have Deore rear derailers for precise shifting.  All bike tours include a helmet, water bottle and trained local guide with the price of the tour.

Trails:
Our tours are geared to any ability level, beginner to experienced riders alike. We offer cross-country mountain rides from quiet Vermont country dirt roads to classic New England single track. The following is a list of some of the most popular tours.

Wheelerville Road:
Ride Difficulty: Beginner
Ride Length: 5-10 miles
Ride Time: 1-3 hours
A quiet Vermont country dirt road, the Wheelerville Road provides participants with view, sights, and sounds unfound anywhere else. This mountain bike ride has a few hills, both up and down, but is on a smooth dirt road. A great family ride; it is also possible to connect this with the Notch Road Network trails.


Old Turnpike/Wildcat:
Ride Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
Ride Length: 4-6 miles
Ride Time: 1-2 hours
Mostly downhill, this ride offers the most variety of terrain around: Smooth dirt roads, downhill fire trail, technical sections, and single track. This ride takes you from Mendon to the Chittenden Dam. It descends over 500 feet in a little less than 4.5 miles. This is a great intermediate ride; it may also be combined with other rides in the area for a longer tour.

Photo Courtesy of Stafford Technical Center Riding past Leffords Pond during the Chittenden Dam loop ride

Chittenden Dam Loop:
Ride Difficulty: Intermediate
Ride Length: 8-10 miles
Ride Time: 1-2 hours
This is 10-mile loop travels around the Chittenden Dam, a large body of water in the middle of “nothing”. One of the most beautiful and scenic rides in the area, this ride starts with a 10-20 minute climb up moderate terrain past a classic Vermont Inn and horse farm. It then sharply descends a rocky fire-road and quickly flattens out. The mountain bike trail continues as a single track as it moves up and down over rolling terrain. Near the end of the ride, participants will cross an old hand-made stone bride, built sometime in the 1800’s. The ride then continues on a dirt road and brings you to the end of the loop.

Notch Road Network:
Ride Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
Ride Length: Varies 2-10 miles
Ride Time: Varies 1-3 hours
The Notch Road Network is a network of mountain bike trails all beginning in a notch between Bald Mountain, and East Mountain, two of the biggest mountains overlooking Rutland. Trails include single and double tracks, as well as several logging roads. Many different rides are possible; your guide will select the best possible loop for you.

Contest Trail:
Ride Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Ride Length: 5.5 miles
Ride Time: 1-2 hours
The Contest Trail is one of only a few areas open to mountain biking in the Green Mountain National Forest. This trail is a great 5.5-mile loop the combines steep leg burning climbs with fast sweeping downhill corners. The trail begins with a gradual hill climb on a dirt road. This then links to the single-track trail. After you ride a short but grueling steep section the trail allows riders to cruse down smooth single track in an open forest area, unusual to Vermont. Before the ride concludes, riders get an amazing view facing south down the Rte 100 valley looking at Killington. The mountain bike ride finishes on a fast downhill fire road back to the car.

Rocky/Muddy Pond Network:
Ride Difficulty: Advanced
Ride Length: Varies 2-12 miles
Ride Time: Varies 1-3 hours
The best advanced trail system in the area. The Rocky/Muddy Pond area combines single track, double track, and gravel fire roads into a maze of interconnecting loops. The terrain is rough and technical. Two steep and technical climbs lead you to Rocky Pond. From here rolling trails lead you over fast downhills, rocks, roots, trees, and many other obstacles. Sharp corners and fast twisty trails are the norm- New trails are currently being worked on to provide even more awesome lines! Participants must have prior advanced riding experience.

Photo Courtesy of Stafford Technical Center Our rider clinics teach students the techniques to ride all types of terrain, from beginner to expert.

Rider Improvement Clinics:

Our rider clinics are designed to teach you the skills you need, or to improve upon the skills you already have.
Skills covered include:

Bike Handling: Proper bike fit, shifting, braking, balance, high speed cornering and braking, maintaining speed and momentum on climbs, etc.

Mountain Bike Skills: Up and down hill techniques, looking ahead, riding position, riding over obstacles in the trail, efficient pedaling, body positioning and maintaining balance.

Mountain Bike Basic Maintenance: Lubing the bike, adjusting seat, brakes, shifters, re-installing a chain, changing tires/tubes, adjusting tire pressure, etc.

*All clinics do involve actual ride time, although trail riding will be limited for instructional purposes.

A Word About the Dangers of Adventure Activities 

All Adventure related activities involve risk.  We take every step possible to minimize those risks.  Our instructors are highly trained professionals, certified in Wilderness First Aid and technical skills. Even so, accidents that result in injury or death are possible.  Please be informed of these risks by reading our liability waiver. Even if you don't go with us, please seek qualified instruction.

Please Note: Vermont Adventure Tours reserves the right to cancel any course at anytime due to inadequate registration, weather or for other reasons at our discretion. In the event of a cancellation, you will receive a full refund. However, Vermont Adventure Tours can not be held responsible for other expenses incurred by you as result of the cancellation. All information in this web page is subject to change.