By Katy Savage
A new 38-mile backcountry trail connecting Rochester and Pittsfield is giving outdoor adventurers a unique way to experience Vermont’s rugged terrain and its small-town charm.
The trail, called the Heart of the Greens Loop, opened last summer and it’s the first completed segment of the Velomont Trail, a statewide 485-mile project aiming to connect the length of Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada via mountain bike-friendly trails with overnight huts along the way.
The loop weaves through public lands and historic logging routes offering a mix of singletrack (54%), gravel (27%), and pavement (19%). The trail is designed for multi-day trips on bike or foot, with backcountry huts and town stays available along the way.
One of the overnight options, the ADA-accessible Chittenden Brook Hut, is powered by solar and heated by woodstove. For those preferring indoor comforts, the loop’s design intentionally connects to inns, B&Bs, and restaurants in surrounding communities.
Organizers say the loop is an investment in Vermont’s rural economy and outdoor infrastructure. “This loop captures the Velomont vision and turns it into reality: connect rural communities to each other and to public open space via purpose-built single track trails,” the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective, one of several trail groups collaborating on the effort, said on its website.
Map of the Heart of the Greens Loop
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