THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Rutland's Pine Hill Trails were tailor-made for bikes and runners. And dogs! Photos by Rutland Recreation Department
9 AMAZING TRAIL RUNS - continued from previous page gorge before opening up to a meadow. It is very accessible from downtown Middlebury and is a great opportunity for an out-and-back. If you’re feeling strong, try other segments of the TAM which run through Middlebury College and around the town. What you need to know: It is free to run on these trails with the permission of private landowners, so be respectful. Maps and routes with marked mileage at www.maltvt.org/trail/tam-trail
5. Huntington: Sleepy Hollow Ski & Bike Center, Butternut Trail Trail network: 13 miles. Terrain: Singletrack dirt with a few rocks and a good amount of roots. What makes it great: Home to the 2015 Queen City Marathon champion Kasie Enman, Sleepy Hollow comprises more than 13 miles of trails carved into a hill. This means you are almost always going up or down, but it keeps the route challenging. Running along Butternut, which is about three miles, is beautiful; the sun filters through the dense trees making strips of light fall in lines along the trail ahead of you. From the parking area it is about one mile to the hand-crafted Butternut Cabin, where there is a stunning view of Camel’s Hump. The cabin, which sleeps eight, costs $180 a night in the winter and $90 in the summer for those without
season passes. What you need to know: Daily trail passes are $3. www.skisleepy hollow.com
6. Williston: Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Blue Trail Trail network: 20 miles Terrain: Mostly dirt, a grassy field in the beginning. What makes it great: Flatter than some of the other trails at Catamount, the Blue trail starts in a grassy, open field but remains cool as the rest of the 5K is in the woods. Catamount offers tons of fun races such as the Tuesday Night Trail Running Series, Sunday Morning Sixers, and the Mammut Thursday Night Group Trail Runs. Looking for a treat after a long run? Stop at Adams Apple Orchard on Old Stage Road in Williston for a delicious apple cider slushy on the way home. What you need to know: Day passes are $8 with season passes going for about $100. www.catamountoutdoor familycenter.com
7. Stowe: Trapp Family Lodge, Sugar Road to the Slayton Pasture Cabin, Trail network: 35 miles Terrain: Soft pinecovered trails and forest roads, singletrack. What makes it great: You might think of Trapp Family Lodge as a place to ski or mountain bike but trails there
are perfect for running too. For a great 10K, head from Sugar Road out to the Slayton Pasture Cabin and back. You can get a good two-kilometer warm-up on Sugar Road before snaking your way up Owl’s Howl. From there, it’s two and a half kilometers to the cabin, which is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Refuel with snacks and water and continue your run or check out the views south and east to the Worcester range. What you need to know: Trail passes are a must and can be purchased at the Outdoor Center for $10. www.trappfamily.com
tearing through the cedar swamps south of the Center before dropping down to the Black River and climbing right back up. With a mix of singletrack and ski trail climbs and primarily singletrack descents, this technical course will test your mettle and provide loads of fun.” What you need to know: A $25 membership gives you access to the trails year round. You can also rent a cabin at the Center starting at $99, off-season. www.craftsbury.com
8. Craftsbury: Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Black River Beatdown course
Trail length: 26.1 miles Terrain: Crushed limestone and flat to rolling terrain. What makes it great: The perfect one-way marathon route, this rail trail starts in St. Albans and winds north and east through woods and marshes. After 10 miles, it follows the Missisquoi River through gorgeous rolling farmland with views east to the Green Mountains. You can also start at Enosburg Falls, at the vintage red caboose near the railway station, and run through more dairy country to the terminus in Richford. What you need to know: Much of the trail, which is free, parallels Route 105 and other roads so you can run shorter sections. Watch out for cyclists, who also use this route. www.mvrailtrail.com
Trail network: 13 miles of running trails. Terrain: Hills, swamps, meadows and forest with a variety of singletrack and doubletrack. What makes it great: With events such as Foliage Runs and the October Trails2Ales running camps, Craftsbury can be a place where the elite runners, skiers and scullers who come here to train on the trails and lake may blow by you. But come stick season, the campers go home and you can have the 400 acres pretty much to yourself. If you want to test your mettle, try the tough new course used for the 2015 Black River Beatdown. In Craftsbury’s words: “You’ll start by
8 VTSPORTS.COM
9. St. Albans to Richford: Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015