Mountain Biking Vermont’s Kingdom Trails: A Local’s Guide to East Burke
The Kingdom Trails in East Burke, Vermont is often called the Moab of the East, and for good reason. With nearly 100 miles of well-maintained singletrack, a lift-served downhill park, and a vibrant bike-friendly community, it’s one of my favorite mountain biking destinations in the country. Riders come from all over to spend long weekends pedaling through flowy forest trails, cooling off in the river, and grabbing beers and bites from local food trucks and the iconic tiki bar.
Beyond the trail network, there are stunning views from the top of Darling Hill (my favorite place to spend golden hour!), refreshing swimming holes, and a laid-back vibe that makes it feel like a true mountain bike town. If you haven’t made your way to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom yet, this is your sign to start planning.
As a Vermont native and longtime fan of the riding in East Burke, I put together this guide to help you plan your visit to Kingdom Trails—from route ideas to where to stay, and everything in between.
Highlights of mountain biking at Kingdom Trails
✨ Photo Gallery
⚠️ A note about riding at Kingdom Trails: It’s important to remember that most of the Kingdom Trails network is on private land, made possible by the generosity of local landowners. In recent years, some have chosen to withdraw access, which is a reminder of how important it is to ride with respect. Stay on designated trails, be courteous, and keep noise down near homes. A little gratitude and trail etiquette goes a long way in helping preserve this awesome playground for future riders.
Kingdom Trails Trail Map
Kingdom Trails is spread out over many miles and trail pockets. I highly recommend having a map and general idea of where you’re going when you set out. You can pick up a paper trail map at the Welcome Center or use TrailForks.
4-Day Kingdom Trails Mountain Biking Itinerary
Looking for the best trails and route recommendations for mountain biking in East Burke, Vermont? Download my 4-day itinerary packed with tips, links, and local secrets including the best trails to ride and more route recommendations. Grab it now and start planning your mtb trip to Kingdom Trails!
Kingdom Trails membership
All mountain bike visitors to East Burke and Kingdom Trails need to purchase a Membership before they. These fees directly support trail maintenance, signage, access, and the overall upkeep of the network we all come to enjoy. The Kingdom Trails Association (KTA) is a non-profit and without rider support, this trail system wouldn’t exist.
Membership options include:
- 1-Day Pass ($15 youth/$20 adult – VMBA members get one free KT pass)
- 2-Day Pass ($30 youth/$40 individual)
- 3-Day Pass ($40 youth/$55 individual)
- Annual ($125 individual/$200 family)
- The Loam Pass is accepted at the Kingdom Trails. It gives you two days of pedaling and two days at Burke Mountain Bike Park.
Please be respectful and purchase your Membership (online or in person) before hitting the trails. it’s a small price to pay to help keep this place running strong.
Plan your rides
1. Darling Hill
Darling Hill is usually where I start my rides when I’m at Kingdom Trails. It’s the westernmost part of the East Burke trails and home to some of the best singletrack in the network. A few years ago, this zone saw some changes when several landowners closed their trails to mountain bikers, which was a big loss. But there’s still a ton of great riding here and new singletrack continues to be added every season.
If you look at the map, you’ll see that Darling Hill can be divided into quadrants: northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest. My two favorite quadrants are northeast and southwest.
If you’re new to the area or riding with kids, the southwest side of Darling Hill is a perfect place to start. The trails are generally mellow and flowy, with lots of options to link together longer loops. There’s also a fun skills park with small drops, jumps, and a short flow line, which is great for warming up or practicing skills.
Up at the top of the hill, the Village Sport Shop Trailside has everything you need post-ride: a beer garden, food truck, and stunning views of Vermont’s rolling hills. I always try to end at least one ride at the Trailside Hub Brew Counter, it’s the perfect spot to unwind and soak it all in especially at golden hour!
2. East Haven
East Haven is hands down my favorite zone to ride at Kingdom Trails. It’s a bit of a trek from East Burke – either by car or pedal – but absolutely worth it. Black Bear is a standout and will likely be one of the best rides of your trip. It’s a fully machine-built trail with incredible flow, smooth berms, and just the right amount of speed.
Running parallel is Stormin’ Norman, which is equally fun and a great way to mix things up. The only downside to East Haven is the climb… it’s a steep access road that’ll have you in your granny gear grinding your way up. But trust me, once you’re dropping into those trails, you won’t be thinking about the climb!
Getting to East Haven: Unfortunately, the Kingdom Trails bus shuttle is not running anymore due to funding issues, so if you want to get out to East Haven, you’ll need to drive or pedal. But now that e-bikes are allowed at KT, pedaling to and from East Haven isn’t a huge deal! If you don’t have an e-bike, I recommend driving out and doing the two-lap route I recommend above.
3. Central East Burke Trails
Since TrailForks doesn’t have a clear name for it, I refer to the area between Darling Hill and East Haven as the Central East Burke Trails. This zone isn’t home to the most exciting or flowy singletrack at Kingdom Trails, but it’s still worth exploring, especially if you’ve already checked off Darling Hill and East Haven.
You can expect more old-school riding here: rooty terrain, punchy climbs, and more rugged trails. It’s probably not where you’ll want to spend your whole time, but there are some fun loops worth hitting, like Good n’ You and Wares Davis. Think of it as a good spot to mix things up and add some variety to your KT rides.
4. Moose Deuce & Moose Alley
These are two of the best downhill-style trails at Kingdom Trails outside of the Burke Mountain Bike Park. Both Moose Deuce and Moose Alley are fast, fun, and moderately technical, with plenty of rocks, roots, and natural features to keep things interesting. If you like more rugged, old-school terrain with some spice, this is your zone. These trails are t wo of my favorites and I made sure to ride them at least once every time I’m back at the Kingdom Trails.
5. Burke Mountain Bike Park
And if all that singletrack wasn’t enough, Kingdom Trails is also home to a lift-served bike park at Burke Mountain. The Burke Mountain Bike Park features over 25 miles of trail with something for everyone from beginners to pros. The lower mountain trails are lift-accessed, while the upper DH trails (Upper J-Bar, Rude Awakening, and Freeride) require either a shuttle or a big pedal up.
I haven’t had the chance to ride the bike park yet, but it’s definitely on my list. One of my friends says it’s one of his favorite bike parks in the east. If you’re into fast descents, jumps, and technical features, it looks like a must-do addition to any Kingdom Trails trip!
FAQs & Planning Tips
Ready to plan your mountain bike trip to the Kingdom Trails? Here are some FAQs and tips to consider before heading out:
Need gear recommendations?
Here are a few recommendations specific to riding at Kingdom Trails:
As a Vermonter, I’m pretty partial to the trails and mountain biking scene at East Burke, Vermont. It’s a great network and there is a ton of awesome riding. The KT trail association is constantly building and improving the networks, but they do need our help to ‘keep the peace’ between landowners.
If you plan a trip to the Kingdom Trails, please remember that riding here is a privlege. It’s not something to take for granted and we all need to do our part to be respectful. It’s super sad to receive an email saying that a landowner has decided to retract their land from Kingdom Trails.
Practice good trail etiquette, be polite and courteous, and have fun 🙂
Have you ridden the Kingdom Trails or is it on your list? What are your favorite trails and routes? What questions do you still have? Leave a comment below!
Read next
Want even more planning tips? Download my 4-Day Kingdom Trails Mountain Biking Guide!
Roly Grail is one of the very best KT trail. Berm heaven.
I actually haven’t ridden Burke bike park! Roly Grail looks like a great flow trail though. I didn’t include it in this post because the bike park isn’t technically Kingdom Trails… I’m hoping to ride it next summer!
I feel that there should have been a mention of the East Burke volunteer fire department which has a special unit to rescue injured mountain bikers on kingdom trails. other than that a great article.
Did not realize that about the VFD. Glad to hear about that and we appreciate it, as we do everything the KT landowners and community make available to us.