2023 KT Winter Operations

December 7, 2022


Winter in Vermont is magical, especially when you can get out to enjoy the beauty of the landscape and incredible recreational opportunities! Here at KT, we are passionate about our mission to provide recreation and education opportunities through our trails to foster the health of our community, environment, and economy. We seek to make the network welcoming and enjoyable for all by maintaining the trails to the highest standard through all seasons, along with providing the info you need to respectfully access this incredible resource that’s made possible by over 100 private landowners.  



Below, we have outlined our Winter Operations information. Our hope is that this info will answer questions on KT grooming capabilities, schedule, and our winter services that will help to make informed decisions on how and when you access the trails.

Winter Season Opening Policy

The winter trail network may only open for the season after a substantial stretch of below freezing temperatures to allow the ground to thoroughly freeze AND after the end of the muzzleloader hunting season (this year that date is December 12, 2022).


  • The fatbike trails will open to fatbikes (tire 3.5 inches or wider) as long as the ground is frozen and can be ridden without causing damage to the trail surface. 
  • If there is no snow, regular mtb tires are allowed on open trails.

  • The groomed ski trails will open when the ground is frozen and we have received a sufficient amount, preferably 6-8”+ of snow to groom and maintain.

  • The snowshoe and backcountry ski trails are open when the ground is frozen and snow coverage allows. 
  • If there is no snow, foot travel is allowed on open trails.


For up to the minute trail conditions and information on which trails are open or closed, visit our trail conditions page.


Winter Trail Crew

KT is proud to employ a grooming team through the winter season that grooms on a consistent basis: CJ Scott our Trail Director, Trail Crew member Tucker Tirey, and Evening Groomer Mike Halvorsen.


Grooming Equipment

The team uses a variety of snowmobiles and implements to groom the fatbike and nordic ski trails dependent upon conditions. 

  • Nordic equipment:
  • Skidoo Wide Track LX snowmobile
  • Yamaha VK snowmobile
  • 2 Tidd Tech drags with track setters
  • 2 compaction rollers
  • Fat Bike equipment:
  • 2014 Skidoo Tundra 
  • Various handbuilt drags for all conditions and commercially built drags to use in sufficient deep snowpack.


Ski Trails

The skate ski lanes are groomed and classic tracks are reset when surface conditions and snow depth is suitable. Our groomed ski trails are closed to fat bike use. However, snowshoers are allowed on the groomed ski trails, but should be mindful to avoid disrupting the classic track set. We welcome ski use on all trails throughout the winter network.


Fatbike Trails

Fatbike trails are groomed as needed. Once the surface is packed and set up (also known as hardened); tire, snowshoe, and ski traffic can be the best method for maintaining an optimum surface. We plan to groom next when there is an accumulation of 2+ inches or the previously packed surface becomes compromised and can effectively be improved with our machinery.


While the fatbike trails may remain open after a significant snow event, we encourage people to wait until the surface sets up before accessing trails by fatbike as the soft snow creates unenjoyable conditions and tires will cause ruts that are difficult for our equipment to remove. 


When temps are warm and surface conditions are soft or slushy, fatbike access is discouraged. To help riders keep track of the temperature and proceed with caution at their own discretion, there are strategically placed thermometer gauges with educational signage throughout the trail network. As a general rule, if a rider is leaving a rut or having a hard time riding in a straight line, it is best to turn around and wait for the temps to drop and the surface to set up properly before continuing.

General Grooming Policies & Procedures

During the winter season the trails will remain OPEN as long as surface conditions are safe and the ground is sufficiently frozen to accommodate ski, fatbike or snowshoe traffic without causing damage to the trail. Trail surface conditions and closures are always reported on the trail conditions page of our website.


KT utilizes customized weather forecasts provided by Nor’Easter Weather to make the most informed decisions on how and when to groom.


When there is a base and a significant amount of snowfall is forecasted, grooming begins after 2+ inches of accumulation and continues until the snowfall ends. 


If there is low, or no existing base, this can affect the frequency of grooming. Our Crew will wait for a more significant accumulation of 6+ inches before they start grooming since thin conditions can lead to damaging the trails, like digging up dirt, or even being detrimental to our equipment. There is a balance in these scenarios when less is more, and the surface, as well as the snowpack, can remain more sustainable with less manipulation. 


When grooming soft or slushy snow in warm temps, it is critical to find the window of time when the surface consistency is accessible for manipulation and our equipment is manageable, as snowmobiles are difficult to steer and drags can get bound up with heavy wet snow. 


Icy conditions are also challenging as we operate without a tiller, the machinery used to break up ice. When conditions become icy, we will make sure to communicate through all avenues, the necessity for caution and recommend proper equipment such as studded tires and snowshoes with crampons. And if safety requires it, we will close trails. 


Dogs

*Please remember, even in the winter, Dogs are only welcomed on the Village Trails.

Welcome Center Operations 

Our visitor experiences are overseen by Brooke Pierce, our Operations Director, Membership & Experience Manager Cedelle Sirjane, and Retail Supervisor Millie Wignall. The KT Welcome Center location and hours of operation are posted here

 

Parking

Parking locations to access the winter trail network are posted here.

 

Membership

Trail access is allowed for KT Members. Daily, Monthly and Annual Memberships and locally produced and sourced merchandise that supports the KT mission can be purchased at the KT Welcome Center or from our online store. Purchases made from the online store are shipped or are available for local pick-up, during regular business hours. 


Annual KT Members who purchased their membership during the Summer season and would like to receive their Winter stickers, please email info@kingdomtrails.org and we’ll gladly pop them in the mail.

Trail Maps

A digital version of our winter map is available on the Trail Map page of our website. You may also download the Ondago GPS app for navigation when on the trails. Printed versions of the map are available at our Welcome Center or from the map kiosk on the exterior of the Welcome Center. 


Ride With Gratitude

Please adhere to the Ride With Gratitude Code of Conduct.

Leadership Transition Announced at Kingdom Trails and the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative

By Sven Cole • July 25, 2025
Dear KT Community, I write to you today as I begin a transition in my relationship with Kingdom Trails. I have made the difficult decision to take the next step in my professional journey and step away from my role as Executive Director. Serving Kingdom Trails and this incredible community over the past eight years has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am deeply proud of the work I’ve led and supported, from navigating immense global challenges and natural disasters, to forging incredible relationships, with our landowners and community. And throughout this journey, the Northeast Kingdom has become not just where I live, but truly my home. It’s the place I chose to become a mother and where my family has put down roots. That said, I am ready to explore new ways to serve this community, ways that will allow me to continue growing as a leader. I’ve accepted the role of Interim Executive Director for the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative, where I will carry forward the work I fell in love with through Kingdom Trails: strengthening our communities and supporting thoughtful economic development. In this new role, I’ll have the opportunity to advocate not only for outdoor recreation, which is so essential to the heart of our region, but also for the many sectors that make the Northeast Kingdom such a unique and vibrant place. Please know I remain deeply committed to Kingdom Trails. This is my home, and it will remain my home. I wish to always be an ambassador for KT, including playing a role in ensuring a graceful, responsible transition with care. The Board of Directors and I have committed to this, to ensure continuity, stability, and the trust you hold in this organization. I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity to have served my community through this role, and I look forward to closing this chapter with the same heart and good intention with which I began it. Georgia Gould is stepping in as interim Executive Director to lead the organization through this transition. Georgia has served on the KT Board of Directors since 2021, leading both the Landowner and Trail Advisory Committees. She is a KT Landowner with an impressive mountain biking and cyclocross resume - including a bronze medal in one of her two Olympic bids on Team USA and five career national championships in cross-country and short track mountain biking. Georgia, her husband Dusty, and their two young children are engaged members of the Burke community and the KT team. Her deep ties to the sport of cycling, dedication to providing great trails for all skill levels, and her love of this community make her the perfect choice to lead KT in its next phase. The Board and I are thrilled that Georgia has agreed to lead KT and feel confident that she will hold the mission of the organization at the center as she has throughout her Board service. You can reach Georgia directly and welcome her to this new role at ED@kingdomtrails.org . With deep gratitude, Abby ### Kingdom Trail Association The mission of the Kingdom Trail Association is to provide recreation and education opportunities by managing, maintaining, and building trails to foster the health of our community, surrounding environment, and regional economy. Kingdom Trails strives to accomplish this mission by offering a 100+ mile network of quality, non-motorized, multi-use trails for all levels of ability, incorporating the best of our local scenery and natural diversity. The Kingdom Trails are made possible through the generosity of 106 private landowners. Northeast Kingdom Collaborativ e The mission of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative is to improve the quality of life for all residents of the NEK through coordinated economic and community development as the vision is a strong, vibrant Northeast Kingdom where we all thrive. The NEKC brings people together to spark positive change in our communities, creating structures that bring partners together across service areas, sectors, municipal and political boundaries to provide solutions for the renewal of the Kingdom. The NEK Collaborative serves as the backbone organization for the federally designated NEK REAP Zone and community partner for USDA Rural Development.

Cannondale Becomes KT's First Corporate Sponsor

By Sven Cole • June 17, 2025
Cannondale Dirt Party a Success
Vermont State Treasurer, Mike Pieciak, speaks at the 2025 Outdoor Recreation Day at the Statehouse

KT is taking action—on the trails and in the Statehouse!

By Abby Long • February 13, 2025
KT is taking action—on the trails and in the Statehouse! This 2025 Legislative Session, KT is teaming up with other amazing trail organizations through the Vermont Trails & Greenway Council, to advocate for H.147 a bill to establish the Recreational Trails Compensation Study. Why does this matter? Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy generates $2.1B annually, nearly 5% of the state’s GDP, that's 2nd in the nation after Hawaii (Go VT!) KT alone drives $10M in economic impact annually. Therefore, the state must recognize and incentivize these generous private landowners, including the 106 who make KT possible and allow public access to trails.
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