Vermont Super 8

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Montpelier, VT, US

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Vermont Bikepackers

1 040 km

18 289 m

-- version 2024A (revised 25 March). Route subject to change. Please send feedback to dan@vermontbikepackers.org and alex@vermontbikepackers.org.

The Vermont Super 8 is a bikepacking route in the shape of an 8 that connects dirt roads throughout Vermont. It uses gravel roads, some pavement, and many stretches of rugged pathways, rail trails, singletrack, and Vermont's famous Class 4 town highways.

Difficulty: Advanced. Copious climbing and rugged terrain.
Recommended bike: gravel or hardtail MTB.

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## Choose your own Adventure

The Vermont Super 8 travels through all corners of Vermont. You can start in Montpelier to take on the 270-mile North Lobe, the 375-mile South Lobe, the Full 8, or you can design your own overnight loop using the Super 8 to reach a camp site, and then take any of Vermont's lovely dirt roads back to your vehicle in the morning.

Since 2017, Vermont Bikepackers hosts a Grand Départ of the Vermont Super 8 in the Fall. You can read about other rider experiences in trip reports and view rider finish times [here](https://www.vermontbikepackers.org/gd-results).

## Setting expect8tions

Expect soul-crushing climbs followed by descents that will make your heart sing. Expect occasional rough terrain that will test your handling skills. Expect ATVs, horses, and other cyclists. Expect friendly general stores with delicious food. Expect miles of smooth dirt as well as overgrown Class 4 roads that have seen little traffic all season.

Although its elevation profile makes this route very strenuous as a whole, riders of many skill levels can take on the Super 8 with the right expectations. There are rugged sections that may require hike-a-bike for gravel bikes, but these sections usually don't last more than one mile at a time. Resupply options are plentiful, and camping or lodging options are available every 30-50 miles.

- The longest stretch without resupply is the @slice[~75 miles from Lyndonville to Island Pond (Brighton)](d,726612.4,844014.5). **Please be prepared for these ~75 miles with no resupply!** Water sources should be ample, but there are NO commercial services along this section.
- A notable stretch with limited camping options @slice[around the southeast corner (either side of Brattleboro)](d,211661.68,326754.34), where it's 33 miles from Jamaica SP to Fort Dummer SP, and then another 34 miles from Fort Dummer to the Green Mountain National Forest.
- For riders on gravel bikes, the most difficult section is @slice[the notorious stretch between Heartwelville and Bennington -- "Stage Coach Road"](d,330606.97,343281.1) -- which includes many short climbs and descents on loose rocks (and one long, rocky descent). The primary users of this stretch are ATVs.
#
## Important Notes
- The North Lobe passes through [New Discovery State Park](https://vtstateparks.com/newdiscovery.html); please be prepared to pay the day-use fee ($4).
- Guidelines for [primitive / leave-no-trace / dispersed camping in Vermont State Forests and State Parks](https://vtstateparks.com/camping.html#primitiveCamping).
- Guidelines for [backcountry / dispersed camping in the Green Mountain National Forest](https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/gmfl/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=64897&actid=34).

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## Logistics

- **Trains!** The route passes near three [train stations](https://www.amtrak.com/vermonter-train) from Montpelier to Brattleboro on the Vermonter line, which accepts up to three bicycles. Be ready to remove your front wheel. You may need to deflate your tire so it will fit in the train's bike rack.
- **Parking**: Overnight parking is permissible in any of Vermont's [Park and Ride locations](https://maps.vtrans.vermont.gov/parkandrides/).
- **Cell reception** along the Super 8 is very poor, in the Central and Eastern Green Mountains. Plan accordingly. Download your maps ahead of time (better yet, use a personal GPS device). It is advisable to use a satellite tracker in case of emergencies and to share your progress with friends.
- **Speed Limits**: When driving along Vermont state highways, it is common for the speed limit to drop suddenly to ~30 mph as the highway becomes a town's main street. Police cruisers are often stationed at these spots. Take the speed limits seriously.
- **Camping**: Exact directions to town forest campsites are sometimes only available in-person at trailhead kiosks. With town forests, Google maps is not 100% accurate with public land borders, and local maps will take precedent. General stores, bike shops, and town offices can be good resources.
- Don't make a fire unless you're sure you're in a place where that's okay.

#
## Best Practices

Be safe, be kind to others, and leave no trace.

The Super 8 will take you on roads where there are **Posted: No Tresspassing** or Private Property signs on either side of you. These signs don’t mean the road is private property; they mean the land on either side of the road is private property. Stay on the route and don’t stop to camp or find water here. Ride with confidence!

If a road/path/trail is closed, then there should be obvious signage in the right-of-way. Road construction and trail closures are bound to happen. If you come across something like this, stop to figure out the best way to get back on the route. Vermont Bikepackers strives to maintain up-to-date GPS data, and while the .gpx track is accurate, we cannot catch every trail closure in real time.

Bikepacking routes in Vermont use the State's ancient “Class 4” town highways. Class 4 roads are the responsibility of their townships, but their surfaces are not required to be maintained. It is very common for a Class 4 road to skirt the edge of a property, or to begin in someone’s driveway and then divert into the forest. You may feel briefly like you are trespassing. Vermont Bikepackers works to ensure that the .gpx files keep riders on legal trail and off private property. Again, ride with confidence.

If you are confronted by a landowner, remember that the most important thing is not to be right, but to be respectful. Clarify that you are on your way through and that you didn't park nearby, and that you fully expect the road to be rough and primitive. If they forbid you to continue on the right-of-way, then ask them for recommendations on how to get to the next town. Please be friendly and remember that you are representing bikepackers everywhere.

In a some cases, the Super 8 uses trails that are not town highways, but are generally open to public travel by bicycle. If you encounter usage-related problems on any of these sections, please reach out.

The Super 8 puts you on brief stretches of pavement. We have tried to avoid high-speed traffic and roads with little- to no-shoulders. As a general rule: the farther you descend, the closer you are getting to a pavement stretch. Please be mentally prepared to ride on the pavement and share the road. As a rule of thumb, traffic will be worse closer to rush hour on weekdays (3pm – 6pm). On weekends you might encounter slower yet more distracted drivers, especially in autumn. Be prepared to navigate traffic for short stretches.

It is easy to get wrapped up in your own head after many days on the bike. An experienced bikepacker knows that lack of sleep and extended time in the woods can deplete good judgment and social graces. As you encounter others on the road or the trail, or in towns at convenience stores, remember that in all likelihood you are a guest in their neighborhood, so please try your best to be respectful. Again, you are representing bikepackers everywhere.

Riding at night and encountering groups on ATV’s or in trucks can be frightening and may trigger your fight-or-flight response.  In this situation remember that they are out having an adventure just like you are, and you might have more in common than you realize at first.

* **DO NOT CAMP IN A ROADWAY, TRAIL, or PATH**, no matter how primitive or un-traveled it looks. You would be amazed at how easily ATV, jeep, and overland drivers can clean sections of gnarly road in the middle of the night.
* Stay apprised of [hunting seasons in Vermont](https://vtfishandwildlife.com/hunt/hunting-and-trapping-seasons).
* If you come across an equestrian – slow down and speak to the horse! Use a loud, friendly tone. Consider dismounting and letting them pass. The horse’s rider will be grateful. Spooked horses are no fun for anybody.
* If you see a bear, yell at it as soon as you see it so that you don’t spook it. Black bears will run away from you.

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