Rail Trails of Vermont

. Rail Trails of Vermont
Rail trail, Access trail, Road bike, Live rail, Historic route.

Flat and wide trails criss-cross the state through woodland, past ponds, along rivers, over historic bridges and between charming small towns. Often separated from road traffic by miles, these routes once carried steam trains but now offer tranquility and a way to explore New England like never before. Scroll down for full list of categorized Rail Trails, links, elevation gain & trail conditions.

Green lines on our map indicate rail trails that are enjoyed daily by hikers, bicyclists, equestrians and many other types of user. We link in our maps to our trail reviews and official trail websites if you want to know more. The black lines indicate live rails - please remember that walking along railroad track is not only illegal but dangerous, including track that you might believe to be inactive. Historic rail routes are shown as gray lines, many of which cross private property that are not accessible to the public. Note that our maps are a combination of desktop research and fieldwork and errors may crop up occasionally.

Trailspotting continues to explore and review rail trails throughout New England, where we provide detailed information on each route including mapping and photography. Find our latest rail trail reviews or subscribe to Trailspotting using one of the buttons at the top of the page to be notified as we add more reviews.

Rail Trail Review Length Gain Cond
AlburghMap3.3 mi50, 50
BenningtonMap1.5 mi80, 0
Boltonville-Groton-MarshfieldMap15.8 mi350, 800
CatamountMap13 mi760, 1100
Delaware & Hudson NorthMap10.2 mi220, 270
Delaware & Hudson SouthMap14.7 mi570, 310
EssexMap1 mi10, 52
Hoot, Toot & WhistleMap1.6 mi100, 100
Island LineMap12.5 mi170, 160
Lamoille ValleyMap96.5 mi3210, 2300
Missisquoi ValleyMap26.3 mi540, 650
Newport Bike PathMap3.9 mi90, 110
PlainfieldMap5.9 mi500, 90
Wells RiverMap1.7 mi60, 130
West River BrattleboroMap5.5 mi220, 280
West River JamaicaMap2.6 mi140, 260
West River South LondonderryMap4.6 mi110, 233
West River West TownsendMap3.8 mi180, 154

Good - Asphalt or hardpack trail conditions
OK - Occasionally rough surface
Rough - Hiking & mountain/rugged bikes
Gain - Elevation gain (ft) moving West to East or North to South. Second number is return gain.

Trailspotting Links:
• Trailspotting: All Rail Trail Reviews
• Trailspotting: VT Rail Trail Reviews
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

Best Bike Rides in New England
David Sobel's 2022 book includes some rail trails and goes beyond, onto the scenic backroads of the northeast states (affiliate link).

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Fire Towers of Vermont
Discover our map of Vermont fire towers and the trails on which to find them.

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Covered Bridges of Vermont
Maps, directions and links for all of the states's covered bridges.
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