Darling Hill Update
December 16, 2019
Trail access changes on Darling Hill
Recently three Darling Hill landowners notified the Kingdom Trail Association that they no longer wish to provide bike access on their properties.
We fully respect their decision, as it is their private property and they have the sole right to determine the use of their land. We are beyond grateful to each of them for allowing Kingdom Trails access over the past 25 years and continuing to allow Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, jogging, and horseback riding.
Kingdom Trails understands the concerns for the pressure and stress the continued strong growth in trail use and area visits has put on landowner’s properties as well as the roads and small villages where trail access exists. While the success of the trails has brought meaningful economic benefit to the area, challenges and tension points exist around traffic, congestion and pedestrian safety of residents and visitors alike.
Kingdom Trails fully recognizes these issues and we are taking action.
This past July, we were awarded a USDA grant for a Network Feasibility and Infrastructure Study. The study, through engaging our landowners and community, along with a systems approach, will advocate possible ideal Welcome Center locations, needed parking, access portals, assess traffic to recommend safe flow and dispersion methods, pedestrian crossings, as well as trail network capacity balance. The study will explore how trails, integrated with economic development, enhance visitor experiences, support local workforce, and most importantly improve residents’ quality of life. Kingdom Trails believes this study will aid in addressing many of the concerns community members and landowners currently have.
This study will be completed by the end of season 2020. In the meantime, we continue to strive toward mitigating congestion and creating a safe community. Kingdom Trails is working collaboratively with the Town of Burke to reconstruct East Darling Hill Rd. The project consists of new subbase, drainage and asphalt, plus a 5-foot bike lane for uphill cyclists. Additionally, KTA purchased two parcels of land adjacent to the road. This acquisition will secure a critical trail connection for KTA, ensuring that trail users will be able to have an off-road option instead of using East Darling Hill Rd for both uphill and downhill bicycle travel, avoiding a dangerous conflict between cycle and car, increasing the safety of our community and visitors, drivers and riders.
We have also worked hard to spread and disperse trail traffic through new trail development. These new trails are directed well off Darling Ridge headed to East Haven. The Flower Brook connector trail was built this summer to discourage trail users from biking along VT 114 from downtown East Burke to East Haven. KTA also works side by side with the OneBurke committee, exploring options to extend trails to the Burke Town School and possibly West Burke. A similar goal is our work with the Lyndonville Select Board, building a trail to connect to the potential new Lyndon Green Space where the old town garages currently are. These efforts would not only relieve congestion on Darling Ridge and East Burke, but broaden further economic opportunities to our neighboring towns.
While the Kingdom Trails network will be affected by this change in access and connectivity, miles of diverse trail terrain remains for all skill levels that promise a lot of smiles, technical challenges and enrichment with our stunning landscape and host communities. Further, KTA is committed to continuing to provide and enhance the incredible trail experience members have come to expect, as well as striving toward our mission of offering recreation and education opportunities to foster the health of our local community, surrounding environment, and regional economy.
7/11/26 Community Chat
Canadian Community Month Offers Below Kingdom Trails Kingdom Trails is a world-renowned, community-supported trail network at the heart of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, built through long-standing landowner partnerships and careful stewardship. It remains the central hub of the region’s mountain biking community. As part of Canadian Community Month, Canadian visitors are welcomed with special membership access and benefits designed to make visiting more accessible. Offers: Canadian dollars accepted at par for annual and day memberships purchased in-person at the Kingdom Trails Welcome Center New and current Canadian annual members will receive a complimentary guest day membership to share with a friend or family member, redeemable anytime during the 2026 riding season. Canadians who purchased day memberships earlier this season may upgrade to annual memberships at par, with the amount already paid in USD credited toward the upgrade Please note that the at-par rates will be applied at checkout in USD as a discount according to the current daily exchange rate; the KT Welcome Center is unable to accept Canadian currency at this time.
From the Executive Director: Hi Everyone! Well, July has certainly brought the heat, but luckily here at KT there are plenty of shady trails to choose from. Speaking of trails...we are opening a new one this weekend: "Cheddar Slice" connects the bottom of Butter Tubs to the bottom of the Dashney Loop, creating a roughly 4-mile family-friendly loop and adding another way to connect the Moose Alley and Dashney zones. Connectivity has been a big focus this year, and there is more to come later this season. Thank you to all our generous Landowners, members and supporters. Have a wonderful weekend and a very Happy Fourth of July!! -Georgia Celebrate the Fourth with Us! As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we invite you to celebrate with us throughout the month of July. If you're riding on Saturday, July 4, be sure to stop by our newly refreshed Welcome Center! We'll be serving complimentary cookies and lemonade throughout the day—a small way of celebrating the holiday and welcoming riders, families, and visitors to Kingdom Trails. Later in the month, join us at Lyndonville's Stars & Stripes Celebration on Saturday, July 18. The celebration begins with the 10:00 a.m. parade, followed by the festival, where you'll find the Kingdom Trails tent. Stop by to say hello, learn about our newest initiatives and chat with our staff about everything happening at Kingdom Trails this summer. The festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and features food trucks, vendors, children's activities, live music, a Rotary BBQ, axe throwing, and more—making it a fun day for the whole family. We hope you'll stop by, say hello, and celebrate with us! CLICK HERE to read the full newsletter.
