4/11/26 Community Chat

Kingdom Trails Community Chat 

October 11, 2026. 10AM start

Burke Mtn Club

16 people attended. Georgia (IED), Cedelle (staff), Kara (staff), Finn (board)

Attendees were a mix of trail users, local businesses, landowners.

Updates: 

ED search summary. Board, staff, and community interviews happening Monday, 4/13. Question about how to attend. Georgia/Cedelle will post the Zoom link on the “News” page of the web site, so it is easily accessible. 

Trail update. Trail crew has already started working on the Wildflower skills park – if conditions permit, we may do a soft opening of a small area. Trail crew will work on all the excavated trail resurfacing in East Burke areas first. Then go up to East Haven which will get a more extensive early season maintenance. 

Questions:

Q: Can you give an update on the logging that happened on Darling Hill? A landowner purchased a 20 acre parcel and 300 acres on S Darling Hill. He logged it this winter, and it will need some cleanup before the trails can be reopened (trail crew is prioritizing). The landowner offered an excavator and an operator to help trail crew clear off big stuff. There may be minor re-routes, but probably not.

Q: Plan for volunteer work days in 2026? We are offering a combo of public days and private. A bunch of private groups like NICA, Cannondale do annual trail work days with us. We are frontloading our own volunteer work days in the early season when it’s needed most (and the enthusiasm to get out there is the highest). For 2026 we have added weeknight Dig Days. All dates and times are posted on the website under “Support”. 

Q: Update on the trail that will connect Sugarhouse Run to the Burklyn? Hoping to start in early June. It will be a bi-directional, adaptive trail designed to allow riders to completely avoid riding on East Darling Hill Rd.

KT will also be adding a new downhill trail on our Darling Hill parcel. It will connect Sleigh Ride to East Branch North. 

Q: Is Act 250 triggered on all Darling Hill trails? One of the KT-owned parcels on Darling Hill has an Act250 permit attached to it. We are submitting an updated amendment for the legacy trails on the KT-owned parcel across from the Wildflower Inn. We’ve had great support from the district Act250 coordinator. 

Q: What is the anticipated expense for submitting the Act250 amendment? Because we’re part of the VT trail system, it’s free. 

Q: Is there any update on Burke Mountain’s plans for the season? We continue to work well with the team at Burke Mountain, and they have been very supportive of KT and our goals. KT’s projects in the Dashney area will help Burke’s goal of having more family-friendly terrain close by. 

Q: What projects are planned in the Dashney area? Dashney Loop has drainage issues on the lower switchbacks. We are planning to fix the issues which will allow the trail to remain open all season. We also plan to fix some culverts that are being undermined. We have permission to officially link Buttertubs to Dashney via a small segment of new trail, providing a larger family friendly loop in that area.

Q: Is Dashney dog-friendly? Yep.

Q: Will there be a climbing trail to Mountain that is not Burnham Down? We are actively working on this, still waiting for full landowner permissions. 

Q: Is KT still pursuing a connection to Kingdom Campground? Yes, but there are many obstacles. The original plan relied on a VAST bridge that was washed away in a flood and is not planning on being replaced

Q: Is there a plan to replace Flower Brook trail? Yes, it is on the wish list, and Georgia is actively looking into possibilities. 

Q: How do you decide what trails to build and when? Combo of what we need, interested landowners and a timeline and budget that works. 

Q: Are we still pursuing a connection to West Burke? Possibly in the future, but that is on the backburner for now. There are some really wet, swampy areas and would need long bridges and maintenance. 

Q: Any update on Parr’s Yard and Wilder Way? Restoring the connection is on the list for this year. Major bridges needed, and stream alteration permits needed. This is a goal for Burke Mtn as well. 

Q: Target trails open date? We want to open as soon as we can, but the priority is always on the trails and ensuring that they are dry enough. May 1st is what we shoot for, but that is weather and conditions-dependent.

Q: What about the section of West Branch that keeps getting washed away? A re-route is planned for this summer. The sandy area will remain open, but the reroute will allow the trail to stay open even when there is high water.

Q: Are annual memberships still structured the same way? No, we are trying to simplify by moving to the calendar year. Most memberships are bought in spring. 

Q: Is there a membership goal? No. We have a very conservative number in our budget. We would like to surpass last year, and are working hard to do so, but there’s always things beyond our control (weather, political environment).

Q: Restructuring. Has there been a change to mission/vision/strategic plan? No change to mission, we are just trying to focus on it. Increase our focus on trails. Ensure more resources are going to trails. This year the board is trying to address the main risks to the organization (having a strong trail plan, being on solid footing financially, strengthening our relationships with landowners, addressing our facilities needs, knowing our rider base). 

Q: Any plans for additional parking? Burke Mtn. has a lot of parking. We are working with them to make the lots more usable by building better trails up there. Looking at other options as well.

Q: Any chance the Shuttle could come back? Probably not. It would be nice, but not enough people used it to make it a viable option. 

Q: Tiki Bar parking rule? Are campers allowed to park overnight at Tiki? Yes, it is permitted. 

Q. Is there a trash receptacle in the Tiki lot? Yes, but bears get into it and spread trash around.