By Polly Mikula
Mountain biking in Vermont is the state’s fastest-growing form of outdoor recreation, according to the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) a nonprofit established in 1997 that provides advocacy, education, and community-driven stewardship statewide and to local chapters.
“The growth of the sport has been exponential,” said Mark Harris, a Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Association board member. “It’s really hard for us to quantify what’s happening, but you can feel it.”
While the total number of rides or riders in Vermont is impossible to tally as there are no fees or trail counters on most trail systems, many riders log their rides on apps like Trailforks or Strava (580,000 rides logs in 2022, according to the most recent data on VMBA’s site) and resorts offering lift-serve do require tickets (like Killington Resort) — by all those measures growth has been exponential, with many metrics showing ridership doubling in a few short years.
VMBA has also grown, with over 9,100 members and 28 local chapters who steward 1,000+ miles of public-access trails.
“Our trails are the product of an unprecedented level of cooperation between private landowners, Chapters and trail day volunteers,” VMBA states on its website.
Approximately ¾ of trails in Vermont are on private land, and half of VMBA’s trails are.
The efforts both to maintain good partnerships with private landowners and maintain quality trails in a growing network have had been met with resounding approval from the riding community and the communities they support.
The quality of Vermont’s trails is now widely known. “Out-of-state riders traveling to Vermont to ride has exploded in recent years,” VMBA stated.
“My husband and I have spent the last 2 months on Vermont’s beautiful MTB trails. The effort of the VMBA is incredible,” Diane Pizzano posted on the VMBA site.” We’ve ridden in Vermont for 30 years and love the evolution. We hope to relocate to Vermont within the next 12 months if at all possible.”
However, with increased growth comes increased impact and those at the helm of VMBA acknowledged the need for a long-term plan to support this growth and ensure sustainable trail riding.
“Many sensitive trail systems were never intended to see such levels of use. Successfully preserving and sustainably growing Vermont’s public-access trails requires attractive, diverse alternatives and greater resources for trail stewardship,” VMBA stated. “VMBA’s relationships with state agencies, public land managers, and private landowners are key in protecting our trails and promoting trail diversity for all rider levels.”
Nick Bennette, VMBA executive director, added, “Taking stock of the state of the big challenges and opportunities for mountain biking here in Vermont, as well as the strengths VMBA has developed as an organization, allowed us to put together a plan that we believe will bring trail riding in Vermont to the next level.”
“We envision a future where mountain biking is at the center of healthy, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable communities throughout Vermont, with well-planned, accessible, and progressive trail systems state-wide,” VMBA states. “In pursuit of our vision, we work to ensure the sustainability of mountain biking in Vermont and thoughtfully promote exceptional riding experiences for all through advocacy, education, and community-driven stewardship.”
VBBA defines success as:
More/better, sustainably-built trails
Quality riding experiences
Engaging events
Stronger relationships
Increased volunteerism
Healthy communities
A vibrant, sustainable outdoor recreation economy
“The model we’re really trying to establish is community-supported stewardship,” said Bennette.
For more information, visit: VMBA.org.
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