Kingdom Trails trail closures

Brutal. It’s interesting that it’s multiple land owners.

I smell $ motivation

I’m thinking these guys are not going to be crowd favorites in town:


Sue and Gary Burrington, Sharon Dolloff, and Fred and Mary Jane Miller, are no longer allowing access to mountain bikers,
 
I would bet this is related to the Landowner who is trying to gain a VT permit to privately sell day passes for the new trails over on Victory Hill built by professional trail builder Ide Ride.
 
FWIW, is there is a charge, you would still go, right?
Lots of places you pay for a permit or a pass. Surprised it took this long.
 
I just heard about this. Totally sucks!!! The trails that are now gone were some of the best! Not to mention the closures virtually cut the trail system in half! I have a scary feeling other land owners will be following suit....
Not worth the 6 hour drive, imo. At least there are other places up in VT to ride - Ascutney, Millstone, and area near Burlington.
 
So when I talked to one of the KT guides/employees back in July they informed me that the landowners do not get anything back for allowing their land to be used and never have... I thought perhaps they might get a tax break or some kind of a kick back, but I was told nothing. Seems to me if they were after money they would remove all access... I think they just dislike mountain bikers all over the town... Which after living for many years in a tourist town, I can see.... Maybe they also fear the Canadians are going to steal their non cartel controlled maple syrup.
 
UtahJoe said:
So when I talked to one of the KT guides/employees back in July they informed me that the landowners do not get anything back for allowing their land to be used and never have... I thought perhaps they might get a tax break or some kind of a kick back, but I was told nothing. Seems to me if they were after money they would remove all access... I think they just dislike mountain bikers all over the town... Which after living for many years in a tourist town, I can see.... Maybe they also fear the Canadians are going to steal their non cartel controlled maple syrup.
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Or, maybe after 25 years, the land owners that didnt care about money are in talks with their children about taking over the estates, and the "upcoming" owners are steering the ship. Dont blame them if that's the case.... especially if they know how much $$$ is in the sport.
 
stb222 said:
Right, so pay more...
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For the last 2 years, we have gotten the family season pass. If they doubled it to keep these trails open, I would still pay it.

It's not fair to say the land owners are greedy. Have you people not learned anything from the movie Richard Jewell?

Without these trails I don't know if I would go up again next year.
 
Matt_ said:
Or, maybe after 25 years, the land owners that didnt care about money are in talks with their children about taking over the estates, and the "upcoming" owners are steering the ship. Dont blame them if that's the case.... especially if they know how much $$$ is in the sport.
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Maybe although you think in that case they might want to sell the land... At what they currently charge for a day pass... I don't think we're talking a significant amount of money spread among 97 land owners. I mean they provide some of the most well maintained / built / designed trails I have ever seen and charge less for a seasons pass then mountain creek charges for a day of really terrible skiing. @stb222 for $75 a year, it's like your robbing them. I'd pay more.
 
UtahJoe said:
Maybe although you think in that case they might want to sell the land... At what they currently charge for a day pass... I don't think we're talking a significant amount of money spread among 97 land owners. I mean they provide some of the most well maintained / built / designed trails I have ever seen and charge less for a seasons pass then mountain creek charges for a day of really terrible skiing. @stb222 for $75 a year, it's like your robbing them. I'd pay more.
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This was what I was getting at, ski places are at least $50 a day for the small Places (for skiing, not the bike park).
 
UtahJoe said:
....and charge less for a seasons pass then mountain creek charges for a day of really terrible skiing. @stb222 for $75 a year, it's like your robbing them. I'd pay more.
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That's kind of where I was at. Property is cheap up there.... why sell the land for pennies when taxes are low and there's a possible revenue source that's currently expanding?

Honestly I'd rather pay a bit more and have the land owners get something in return to help guarantee the trails stay open. Hell my daily tiki bar tab each day is more than a season pass.....
 
This is very interesting. I've been dealing with this kind of thing for river access for years. The problem for these land owners is they are pulling the plug on something long established. Its still their right, but if they wanted peace, they're not going to have it as they have just drawn massive attention to themselves in the town. If they wanted money, we'll that's not out of the question and while they may have large amounts of land by comparison, if there really are 97 landowners.....here comes the sH&t show if they get settled with as everyone will want their piece.
 
Just curious, if this actually happens come spring, do folks think it would be worth the drive from NJ if these trails were omitted from the network?
 
onetracker said:
Just curious, if this actually happens come spring, do folks think it would be worth the drive from NJ if these trails were omitted from the network?
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We discussed this at home tonight. The answer is probably not. This has been a team destination for 5 years for us, longer for you guys. I think if this sticks we would have to discuss it as a team. And really I don't know where else we would go. But it would no longer be a slam dunk.

We were up there 3 times this year. Even if we go back, with these changes I think it would be 1-and-done.

I do think this will force the KTA to drive some significant trail development in the coming few years.
 
The land owners most likely got fed up with the New England mountain bike festival that drew like 5000 people. They camp out on Darling Hill. Glad, I move to Asheville NC.
 
I'm no one other than one voice. I have not been there but wanted to go and make a trip of it with either friends or my wife or both. It would now be a non option as I have other places to go.
 
I was bummed to read about this today. Even in shangri-la, where access deals are done by handshake and everything is seemingly perfect, the landowner always calls the shots. One can only speculate, but this statement from KTA is very telling: Kingdom Trails understands the concerns for the pressure and stress the continued strong growth in trail use and area visits has put on landowner’s properties as well as the roads and small villages where trail access exists. While the success of the trails has brought meaningful economic benefit to the area, challenges and tension points exist around traffic, congestion and pedestrian safety of residents and visitors alike.

This is not about money for those land owners. Anyone who has been visiting Burke for a while has watched the above challenges grow and fester. It started with trails being roached out with braking bumps, then the parking lots overflowing, being expanded, overflowing again, rinse, repeat. Hopefully the grant funds and re-working of D H Rd. will ease some of those concerns; only time will tell.

I will still visit Burke to ride. There are still a whole lot of really good trails left, and the KTA will build more. As many have mentioned, VT has so many other great trail systems. Maybe this will encourage folks to explore some more, spreading some of the "wealth" around the state.

Anyone remember the "Don't Jersey Vermont" campaign from around 6-7 yrs ago? @mergs @Frank
 
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