Beloved Trails in Northeast Kingdom Secured
December 21, 2020
Land on Darling Ridge to Remain Open for Mountain Biking, Hiking, Skiing, and More.
Seven miles of trails in the heart of the popular Kingdom Trails network have been secured after a major community effort, the Vermont Land Trust and Kingdom Trail Association announced. The Kingdom Trail Association today acquired 271 acres on Darling Hill Road, and conserved the land to ensure it remains undeveloped and open to the public in the future.
Stretching from Darling Hill Road to the East Branch of the Passumpsic River, the land has sweeping views of Burke Mountain and includes trails leading to Heaven’s Bench, a favorite rest stop in the 100-mile trail network. When a key parcel here went up for sale in 2019, the future of these beloved trails, and surrounding scenic meadows and forest was at risk.
The Kingdom Trail Association and Vermont Land Trust came together to save the land for the community and visitors, with funding from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, an anonymous gift of $150,000, and contributions from over 740 local businesses and community members.
Hailed as one of the best trail networks in North America, Kingdom Trails receives as many as 135,000 annual visits by mountain bikers, Nordic skiers, trail runners and snowshoers. A 2016 Vermont Trails and Greenway Council study found that the network generates more than $10M a year in economic activity for the region.
“Vermont is extremely fortunate to have recreation destinations like Kingdom Trails. When we work together to secure their future, we’re helping our rural communities and economies thrive,” said VLT President and CEO, Nick Richardson. “It’s been thrilling to see Vermont’s landscape appreciated, expressed in a groundswell of support from the local community and as far as Montreal and the Boston area.”
The campaign to save land on Darling Ridge received support from businesses and community partners, including the Burke Bike Barn, Langlais Family Tree Farm, East Burke Market, several chapters of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Brewster River Mountain Bike Club, Inc., Libby’s Meat Market, Passumpsic National Bank, Kingdom Coffee Roasters, Crosstown Motors, Century 21 Farm and Forest, Community National Bank and the Passumpsic Valley Land Trust.
“Through cooperation and dedication, Kingdom Trails has gone from a grassroots project to a nationally recognized treasure,” said Chris Hibshman, owner of the Village Sport Shop Trailside, located on Darling Hill Road. “This effort to protect trails and the beautiful and iconic ridgeline of Darling Hill is vital to ensure the future for the Kingdom Trail network and its surrounding community.”
The newly conserved Darling Ridge property consists of 40 acres purchased from long-time owners Martha Corrock and Finn Gunderson and 231 acres previously owned by Ariel Quiros. It has scenic and productive farmland, as well as healthy forests, streams, and wetlands that provide wildlife habitat and contribute to water quality and carbon sequestration. The conservation easement held by the Vermont Land Trust and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board will ensure the land will remain undeveloped and available for public recreation as well as farming, forestry, and educational activities.
“We are so grateful to all who have helped us to purchase this spectacular land on Darling Hill and to join the 100 other landowners who make Kingdom Trails possible,” said Abby Long, executive director of the Kingdom Trail Association. “Owning this land allows us to sustain the trails on one of the most visible and visited areas of the network, and also be a steward of the river, forests, and farmland which are vital to the future health of the Northeast Kingdom.”
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 Dirt Party a Success
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.
