East Darling Hill Rd Project END

November 11, 2021

What seems like years ago now, because it was! In 2018, the Town of Burke and Kingdom Trail Association came together to undertake a collaborative project to rehabilitate our community’s East Darling Hill Rd. The Town of Burke was unable to pursue this construction on their own as the road was designated Class 2 and not eligible for state funds. Kingdom Trails agreed to join forces to seek a Northern Border Regional Commission federal grant as we believed this endeavor would provide the needed infrastructure to restore a main thoroughfare for our community, safely connecting East Burke, West Burke, Burke Hollow, and Lyndonville.

 

The project consisted of the reconstruction of East Darling Hill Rd including new subbase, eco friendly drainage and asphalt, plus a 5ft bike lane for uphill cyclists. Additionally, two parcels of land adjacent to the road were purchased by Kingdom Trails. This acquisition secured a critical trail connection for KT, ensuring that trail users will have an off-road option instead of using East Darling Hill Rd for both uphill and downhill bike travel, avoiding a dangerous conflict between cycle and car, increasing safety of our community and visitors, drivers and riders. The intersection of East Darling Hill Road and Burke Hollow is now a three way stop due to the realignment of the roads creating safer traffic flow for all. The three way intersection will be crucial for the safety of future potential town projects such as a crosswalk and multi-use pathway.

 

Together, the Town of Burke and Kingdom Trails were thrilled to have been awarded a Northern Border Regional Commission federal grant for the completion of the project! There was no tax increase to local residents. Kingdom Trails also helped leverage donations through the Pave the Way campaign. Local businesses and 100+ individual donations from community members and KT trail users raised the remaining funds needed to complete the construction. We are grateful to all the generous donors, including Casella Waste Systems, Community National Bank, White’s Market, Passumpsic Savings Bank, and Union Bank. A special thank you to the Gallagher Family, previous owners of the adjacent land, for their patience and willingness to work with us through this project. 


Abby Long, Kingdom Trails Executive Director

Mike Harris, Town of Burke Administrator


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.
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
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.
More Posts