Velomont Open House

The Velomont Trail Collective and the Vermont Huts Association are hosting an online Visioning Survey and regional Open House events in Randolph, Dover, Richmond, Rutland, and St. Johnsbury to gather input on the vision of the Velomont Trail. Outdoor recreation enthusiasts and other interested stakeholders are invited to visit the Velomont Trail website (https://velomonttrail.org/) or drop in anytime to learn about the project and give your input at the following Open Houses:

Randolph: August 30th @ 6-8PM – Chandler Center for the Arts 71 N Main St, Randolph, VT 05060

Dover: September 5TH @ 6-8PM – Mount Snow Sundance Lodge 289 Handle Rd, West Dover, VT 05356 

Richmond: September 25th @ 6-8PM – VYCC Monitor Barn   1949 E Main St, Richmond, VT 05477

Rutland: September 26th @ 6-8PM – Georgetti Park Oak St Ext, Rutland, VT 05701

St Johnsbury: October 10th @ 6-8PM – St J Welcome Center 51 Depot Square, St Johnsbury, VT 05819

The Velomont Trail is envisioned as a statewide multi-use, natural surface singletrack trail that connects Vermont’s existing trail networks and downtowns to one another while supporting overnight travel with a series of backcountry huts and hostels, inns, hotels in Vermont’s village centers. The survey and open houses are intended to gather input on the vision and future direction of the Velomont Trail from stakeholders, members of the public– whether Vermont residents or not—or any other interested party. There will be light refreshments provided at each Open House and everyone who attends will be entered to win a raffle featuring great outdoor gear, experiences, & local VT products!

The information collected through the survey and open house events will be used to inform the development of a Master Plan for the Velomont Trail and Hut System, which is funded by a Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) grant as well as support from the Green Mountain National Forest, the Town of Randolph, the Velomont Trail Collective, and the Vermont Huts Association.  The Velomont Trail Collective and Vermont Huts Association has hired a team of consultants from SE Group to support the master planning process.

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Project Background 

The vision for the Velomont Trail was borne out of a desire within the Vermont trails community for local trail groups to connect to neighboring trail systems, rather than build more and more trails in disconnected systems. Initially starting with the concept of connecting Killington to Stowe, the idea of the Velomont Trail has snowballed to include a statewide corridor of trail and town connectivity from Massachusetts to Quebec.

Following years of discussion and planning, the Velomont Trail Collective (VTC) emerged as the engine to ultimately achieve this vision.  The VTC is a chapter of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) and is comprised of both professional staff and representatives from 25 other local trail groups and VMBA chapters. The VTC is working under a joint-partnership with the Vermont Huts Association, a Vermont based non-profit, to plan for the trail and hut system. The Master Plan includes a series of open house events in different regions across the state, as well as a robust stakeholder and agency engagement process. It also includes a robust opportunities and constraints analysis, considering both the human and natural environment, and a concurrent wayfinding and signage plan.

Like other statewide trails, the Long Trail, the Catamount Trail, or the VAST Trail (VT Association of Snow Travelers), the Velomont Trail would cross private, state, federal lands as it traverses the state. The Velomont Trail Master Plan is not intended to design, permit, approve, or authorize construction of any individual segment of the trail. Instead, the purpose of the Master Plan is to explore opportunities and constraints for the trail at a broad statewide level and encapsulate a collective vision for the trail developed through a multi-partner collaborative process. It is also intended to clarify the trail development process and establish project design criteria to support sustainable project development so the VTC, local trail groups, and other partners can move forward with detailed planning, field design, and implementation for the trail on a segment-by-segment basis.

The master planning process is expected to wrap up around the close of 2023 or early 2024. To get more information and stay informed on progress, please visit: https://velomonttrail.org.

About SE Group 

SE Group has been the industry leader in the planning and design of mountain resorts since 1958. Over the years, our team has grown to include landscape architects, community planners, environmental analysts, and economic advisors that are pioneering how communities across the country think about recreation, tourism, and outdoor spaces. Whether it’s a multi-season mountain resort or a schoolyard playground, our clients trust us to lead them from first spark of inspiration to final phase of implementation.

With hubs in Utah, Colorado, and Vermont, we are lucky to live in the heart of some of the amazing recreational communities we serve.

Learn more about the Velomont here: https://velomonttrail.org/