Video: A Kingdom Odyssey

50 Comments

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duffle (Oct 22, 2014 at 21:16)

After visiting Burke and KT for the first time last year I finally got up the guts and pulled the trigger... Quit my job of five years, Broke up with my girlfriend and moved 4 hours away from Boston to study Mountain Resort Management at Lyndon State and after being in the North East Kingdom for only Six months I can honestly say it was the best decision I've ever made

mtbfunfunfun (Oct 23, 2014 at 3:12)

Your courage inspires. Big congratulations.

Stralov (Oct 23, 2014 at 4:33)

have to do something like that soon, too.

sniggled (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:02)

Welcome to VT. You apparently get it.

eiiic (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:45)

You....I like you

A-Smalls (Oct 23, 2014 at 6:08)

Fuck yah buddy! Welcome to the NEK.

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XCMark (Oct 23, 2014 at 10:15) (Below Threshold)

Less than an once in Vermont is a civil violation of $200. Vermont has a long ways to go before it's really kewl!

Oregon has some of the best trails in the states and less than an once of personal is legal, with no fines or warnings.

I have to give it to VT though, I was there about 6 years ago, the place is extremely beautiful!

scott-townes (Oct 23, 2014 at 14:16)

Well done! Growing up 3 hours away from NEK, I can say it played a very important part in my riding and what world class single track is like. It was so good that's all we eventually went to for family trips, weekend rippers, etc. Its grown a ton since then, especially with them actually having a bike park, and can only imagine how insane it is now. Enjoy, you lucky/smart bastard!

Also check out Barre, VT if you get a chance. Increjubile.

forkguardian (Oct 24, 2014 at 12:48)

yeah bud! i'm up in VT in a very similar situation. shred it.

lilyric (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:52)

I think it's important to keep in mind that the trails on Burke Mountain were actually built by the Kingdom Trail Association and are now under the management of Burke Mountain Resort- so it is essentially all the same interconnected network of trails built by the same people with a range of technical difficulty from one end of the spectrum to the other. The range in technical difficulty mainly results from the difference in the terrain from one place to another. All the trails have flow, but the mountain and the terrain approaching the mountain tends to be steeper and more rocky. The fact that you can find that range on the network makes it so everyone can find what they want and have fun- which in turn means that a small local economy can find some stimulation from the visits. So no reason to bash, it's not about what sucks or is boring for you- it's all mountain biking! Choose your pleasure and enjoy the access to 100 miles of trails which is hard to find on the East Coast where we don't have access to large expanses of public land.

upside (Oct 23, 2014 at 7:21)

I rode Upper and Lower J-bar for the first time in late september and I can honestly say that those trails are some of if not the best trails I have ever ridden. Upper and Lower J-bar for my style of ridding ( I ride a Nomad with a coil shock) are insanely fun. I spent the entire summer traveling across the US biking and as much as it pains me to say it my Favorite trail is in VT. If you are complaining about the Kingdom Trails or Burke I suggest you ride Upper and Lower J-bar. If you are still complaining after that then there is no pleasing you.

Neverlost (Oct 23, 2014 at 16:44)

Those trails are super versatile and fun. I rode them on a carbon V-10 and it was life changing and awesome! I STILL daydream about those trails and it was months ago...

mrdirt76 (Oct 26, 2014 at 18:09)

I've only riden lower J-bar, and i really like it. However, if you go over to kingdon trails side, find the trail named Troll Stroll, AWESOME! So much flow, speed, tight turns and good descents. You'ld love it. MY #1 trail for sure.

Neverlost (Oct 23, 2014 at 16:47)

If you ride DH and haven't ridden Burke yet, I cannot recommend it enough. I've ridden most places in the northeast, and Burke is one of the best. Magnificent dirt, no lines, fun for days, and a killer atmosphere. I only had two days to ride on my last trip east, and I spent one of them at Burke having the time of my life. I went to burke every winter as a kid skiing. The place was incredible but kept going out of business. Mountain Biking put them back on the map, and they know it. Hats off to ide, and all others who made this place sick.

jcraigmtb (Oct 22, 2014 at 20:24)

Is it just me, or does anyone else love the Bronson?

lookoutkd14 (Oct 22, 2014 at 21:36) (Below Threshold)

its just you...

Alexdeg (Oct 23, 2014 at 3:18)

Sure do! Bronson C is my best buddy since april; game-changer!

freasy (Oct 23, 2014 at 16:15)

I Love my Bronson as well. Best bike I've ever owned! Just ripped it at KT a few weeks ago.

lookoutkd14 (Oct 23, 2014 at 19:49)

My bike is the best I have ever owned. I have a trance X with a 160mm fork which makes it a real ripper given that it's a 120mm bike(in the rear). I'm just waiting for the HT to snap given my 8 foot huck-to-flats....

Danielpfal (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:12)

Once again, east coast is very under rated !

shredjekyll (Oct 22, 2014 at 20:28)

That whole area is so legit, absolutely love riding/being there.

mbiker35 (Oct 23, 2014 at 9:10)

Live in Connecticut and me and my friends make KT our summer trip for camping and riding. Something for every rider there, so much fun!!! If you have a chance to go there GO, you won't be sorry.

jboudreau (Oct 23, 2014 at 19:16)

Kingdom trails are awsome! I invite you to check out my edit of the Kingdoms trails , not as cinematic as this one but it features the some of the cross country, Burke Bike Park and Upper J Bar, enjoy! www.pinkbike.com/video/381084

Nshore3 (Oct 23, 2014 at 7:20)

Managed to make it out here before moving away from the East, Killer spot, had a great time. if you live near its a must visit.

austopkins (Oct 23, 2014 at 10:32)

YEYE way to rep VT, T-Bar! Super sick edit keep it up

schwaaa31 (Oct 24, 2014 at 20:09)

Everything in Vermont is awesome. Except Phish. Phish is worse than Ebola.

cheezeweazel (Oct 22, 2014 at 20:25)

meow

emosedale (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:04)

KT and the bike park are both soo sick and much more to come with both!

bikelord (Oct 23, 2014 at 11:24)

I grew up riding these trails about 40 minutes away from my home. Amazing area and good people.

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Oct 23, 2014 at 4:08)

Galloway belties... Dinner!

tahoegreenrider (Oct 24, 2014 at 17:56)

Naaaw yes

a-m-c (Oct 22, 2014 at 21:33)

Upper JBar at the end…?

knightrideride (Oct 23, 2014 at 3:26)

Dh trail

animalrkent FL (Oct 26, 2014 at 7:14)

I don't know Knight, you weren't on a Sinster.. Still impressed that you did it on a 6x6, now lets see you launch it down the freeride trail!

mayha49 (Oct 23, 2014 at 4:22)

This place is off the hook!!

RoverDover (Oct 23, 2014 at 9:15)

I love the KingdomTrails! it keeps all the tourists south of the border!

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rclugnut (Oct 22, 2014 at 20:33)

Not to be negative, but I spent $15 to ride kingdom trails (not anything from burke). And was woefully underwhelmed, there were some fun trails, and such but I was always wondering where all the hype was coming from. Just about all the trails in the networks in the burlington area seem to have better terrain, flow, and just seem to ride better than anything I found at kingdom, granted I only did spend 3 hours there. I do want to hit burke tho, those trails look like fine...

shredjekyll (Oct 22, 2014 at 20:40)

Burke is a must, the full J-bar descent is majestic

VTwintips (Oct 22, 2014 at 21:17)

Burke and the Kingdom Trails are like night and day. A double black on the KT is going to be easier and less feature packed than a blue on Burke Mtn. There are a small handful of worthwhile trails on the KT, but most aren't any more challenging than rail trail. On many would-be-fun trails, everything was extremely hardpack from extensive use.

Then again, where I'm from, I get hero dirt all day because I build my own trails or ride ones that nobody else rides

airtym FL (Oct 23, 2014 at 2:57)

You didn't ride Tap-Die. There are trails for everyone in Kingdom. The time spent in the info Information Center where I paid for my riding was great . They asked if I had ever been there or not. After tell them I hadn't they took the time to ask what kind of riding I liked and mapped out a perfect day of flowy fun and challenging trails.

projectnortheast (Oct 23, 2014 at 4:50)

3 hours? Our average ride when we go there is all day 25-35 miles of singletrack and 4000' +. I haven't ridden a ton of places in Vermont but have ridden over 200 miles at KT alone this year and it gets better every time I go... can't wait for fatbiking there this winter

VTwintips (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:30)

I rode tap die and sidewinder among others. there are a few worthwhile tails like I said.

neimbc (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:33)

KT and Burke are two separate places. The video shows Burke. KT has one one short berm jump trail at the very end. It's a XC place - don't go there thinking you'll ride sweet DH tech trails - they don't exist. There are a few fun XC trails - Tap-n-Die and Sidewinder for instance, but mostly it's sit and spin.

lilyric (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:53)

tbubier (Oct 23, 2014 at 5:56)

Wow. To say Kingdom is a place to sit and spin is awfully misleading and clearly you have not spent enough riding their trails or at least ride the right ones. Trails like moose alley, tap n die, coronary bypass, burnham down, pines all come to mind as some of the best trails I have ever ridden and I have ridden a lot of trails in a lot of states.

patroll (Oct 23, 2014 at 6:39)

Troll Stroll is in my opinion the best trail of the KT network, followed by Tap n Die, Jaws and Kitchel.

neimbc (Oct 23, 2014 at 6:46)

I read that Burke disassociated from KT - anyway, not bashing - I rode it several times - KT and Burke are totally different, yes, due to their terrain, but the traditional KT side is XC - those trails you mention are downhill oriented, but you wouldn't say they are DH trails as you would trails up at Burke (J Bar or else where). XC is fun, just saying for folks who think they are going to get in some tech DH type trails - it's not what KT is about.

rclugnut (Oct 23, 2014 at 7:19)

Me and my buddy hit about half of those big names including sidewinder, kitchel and tap-n-die, and a few others that were mentioned if i remember correctly, and yeah they were fun, but compared to everywhere else i've ridden in the start, it was sandy, a lot more climbing than really seemed necessary. They were good trails, but I think they only reason they're getting so much hype is it's one of the bigger networks in the state.

projectnortheast (Oct 23, 2014 at 9:27)

^your not hitting the best stuff.. just sayin.. I've ridden a lot of places and when I drive 2 hours to ride I wanna do a big trail ride.. 25+ miles.. not many places you can get that around without having to ride a lot of garbage in between good trails. Branch out a little farther from kitchel and tap-n-die and ride till your legs fall off, go back downtown after the ride, grab a shower in the outdoor shower stalls, grab a beer at mikes tiki bar, a burrito from the truck next door, and then get a espresso frappe across the street an you'll never wanna go anywhere else cuz you know how good it really is and how your welcome as a biker and catered to in many ways...

pchudoba42 (Oct 23, 2014 at 23:44)

I hate to be the downer on this post, but if Kingdom trails is the "premier mountain bike network in the country", people need to start looking a little harder up and down the East Coast. I rode Kingdom for a weekend straight and it was cool, but there are countless other trail systems with more mileage and much more challenging trails in VA, PA, WV, and NC.