First-Ever Adaptive Mountain Bike Trail Network in Vermont Open Accessibility for All Users
There’s nothing better than that ribbon of dirt surrounded by nature on a mountain bike. Sailing through the trees, maneuvering over rocks, launching off jumps. And in Vermont, they’ve been working to widen the ribbon so that more people can get in on the action.
Vermont is opening its first fully adaptive mountain bike trail system—The Driving Range—on 256 acres of private land in Bolton. The project has been a collaboration between Richmond Mountain Trails (RMT), the Kelly Brush Foundation, Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA), a variety of local businesses, and community volunteers.
The trails have all been built with a broader mountain bike community in mind—those who ride adaptive bikes. Gear Junkie talked to Greg Durso, a local adaptive cyclist and program director for the Kelly Brush Foundation, and a key player in the development of The Driving Range. “The ability to adventure was never really a thing we [adaptive athletes] could do,” Durso explained. “Adaptive mountain biking is enabling us to adventure and go out in the woods and have experiences that we weren’t able to have in the past.”
Some might not notice a huge difference between the trails at The Driving Range and any other mountain biking trails, but the focus on width and camber makes all the difference for those riding adaptive bikes.
Bridges are a bit wider, and berms are created so that three-wheeled bikes don’t tip over as easily. They’re made of more stable tread surfaces, and have options for passing obstacles. But overall, they’re not “easy” trails—they’re simply made so that all different kinds of bikes can shred.
“The Driving Range is showing people that you can have trails that are black diamond, technical, and challenging but that there are a specific set of requirements that make them adaptive accessible,” explained Nick Bennette, Executive Director of VMBA, Gear Junkie repored.
The hope is that this trail network will be an example for others. Vermont’s WCAX News reports that the Vermont Mountain Biking association has assessed other existing trails to see how they could be improved or transformed to become adaptive. “Creating those materials that make it that much more welcoming…and continuing those assessments, continuing the retrofits. Working carefully with the trail builders,” said Bennette.
Overall, the message is that the trail system is for everyone, and all kinds of bikes. VMBA is quick to point out that it’s not exclusive to those who ride non-traditional mountain bikes. Gear Junkie reports, “It’s almost like we’re building a coalition around the country,” Durso said. “Everyone wants to do this. But they’re either scared it’s too expensive or that it will dumb down the experience. To show that building universal trail systems can be done, done right, and done efficiently can influence other places...We’re trying to create more of a national movement. So this doesn’t just have to be in Vermont, it can be anywhere.”
Turns out, when you’ve got a great idea and are willing to ask for help, people step up. In addition to the hundreds of volunteer hours and local grants, VMBA has also received financial help from SunCommon, OnX, Yeti Cycles, Fox Factory, and Velocio. The trail system opens this month, but won’t be complete until fall 2024. And VMBA hopes that this is just the beginning.
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