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Vermont Gravel Tour: Highlights

Discover the rugged beauty of Northeast Vermont on an unforgettable gravel bicycle tour with Lizard Head Cycling Guides. This region is known for its quiet backroads, dense forests, and charming small towns that showcase Vermont’s authentic character. Carefully crafted routes combine challenging gravel climbs with rewarding descents, alongside swimming holes and Creemees (soft-serve ice cream!). Along the way, you’ll explore the Northeast Kingdom, eat and drink locally grown products, and enjoy peaceful rhythm of cycling through one of New England’s most scenic landscapes. This ride is truly a throwback to a quiet New England, with lots of quirky attractions and champagne gravel!

Vermont Gravel Tour: Dates

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as unopened tour dates will be closed. Please see the Winter/Spring/Autumn Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us via email or call 970.728.5891

2027 Tour Dates

• September 16 to 21, 2027 (Book Now!)

Tour Status Notes: NO STATUS = Date Set, no riders have signed up. TOUR OPENED = Tour Opened, rider minimums not met. TOUR A GO! = Tour is Go, rider minimums met. SOLD OUT = Tour Full, rider maximums met.

Why Should You Sign Up Now And OPEN A Tour Date?
This is the proverbial chicken and the egg conundrum! We need our cyclists to first commit to the date that works for them so we can commit to that date.

When you OPEN a date, you get to pick your preferred departure and there is no penalty if the tour does not run. Once you pick your tour date, Lizard Head closes nearby dates and funnels all additional riders to your chosen date until the tour meets the rider minimum. Don't wait. Just do it!

BONUS: As an added bonus, we can also hold a spot for you on another tour date of your choosing. There is no fee to switch to another tour date.

NOTE: In anticipation and encouragement of future tour sign-ups prior to reaching the tour minimum, the Lizard Head Cycling website may be updated to show TOUR A GO prior to actual tour confirmation. Even if the website says that the tour is a GO, please wait for your official Email Confirmation before booking non-refundable travel reservations.

Vermont Gravel Tour: Overview

Tour Length: 6-Days Cycling/5-Nights Lodging

Meeting/Ending Town: Burlington, VT

Total Miles: 178 to 216 miles (additional mileage options available)

Mileage Range: 20-48 miles

Ability Level: Upper Intermediate (3) , Advanced (3/4)

Tour Cost: $3295 per person. Add $695 per person to this Tour Cost for a private room each night of the tour (includes 5-Nights). Please see our Reptile Rewards & Tour Discounts page for more information on Group Discounts. Please note that for discounts to apply the tour minimum must be met.

Tour Includes: 6 days of guide service, all meals, park service fees, energy food, liquid refreshments, shuttles, and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages, bike rental, and massage are additional.

Lodging for 5 Nights: (subject to change and availability)

• Nights 1, 2, & 3: The Village Inn, East Burke, VT or The Inn at Mountain View Farm, East Burke, VT
• Nights 4 & 5: Highland Lodge, Greensboro, VT

Meeting Hotel and Ending Hotel reservations and costs are NOT included unless specified otherwise. Guests are on their own to make reservations at the Meeting Hotel or Ending Hotel, or other nearby hotels.

Please note: Rental bikes for this trip are subject to change. The price reflected in our rental bike page does not apply to this trip, since Lizard Head Cycling Guides must source rental bikes locally. The cost for a rental gravel bike is $400 and the cost for a rental E-bike is $450, and sizes are subject to availability. Please inquire right away if a rental bike is desired!

Gravel Bike Rentals

NOTE: The make, model, and specifications of rental bikes may differ from what is described below. Please contact us if you have any specific needs for a rental bike or have any questions about rental bikes.

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent the Scott 2023 Addict 30 which is light, can handle rough terrain, fits chunky tires and has enough mounts to carry all the liquids and freeze-dried chicken curry you want. What's really important, though is what this bike allows you to do. Now, perhaps more than ever, the Addict Gravel 30 is your ticket to adventure when you need it most.

The Addict 30 features: Addict Gravel Disc HMF Carbon Gravel geometry, Shimano GRX 22 speed drivetrain, Shimano BR-RX400 hydraulic disc brakes, Schwalbe G-ONE Bite Performance 700x45C tires. Approx. Weight: 20.3 / 9.2 kg (without pedals)

☛ Learn more about our Rental Bikes and Equipment

If you have any further questions, please read more on our Rental Bikes FAQ page. You can also email us at info@lizardheadcyclingguides.com or call us at 970.728.5891

Meals On Tour

Lizard Head Cycling Guides provides most meals on all tours (unless otherwise noted), including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guides will prepare a daily lunch en route for nearly every tour, both road and off-road, as well as provide nutritious snacks at periodic aid stations during the day.

Most of our road tours utilize local restaurants for all meals and, occasionally, guides may prepare a dinner or two during a tour. Due to the nature of being "off the grid", most of our off-road tours feature guides preparing meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. FUN NOTE: When guides prepare a meal in camp and the guests sit around and watch, this is called "Guide TV".

We also pride ourselves on being able to cater to specific dietary requests and needs, so rest assured that you will be able to get the nutrition that works best for you during your tour. Gluten free, Dairy free, Vegan, or someone who loves it all – we will keep you well-fed during the tour!

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepare healthy lunches to keep you going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses and, of course, plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies.

Dinners: On our road tours, Lizard Head Cycling sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients and guests choose whatever they desire to eat off the menu, including: appetizer, salad, entrée, and of course, dessert... yum! Also, while on tour, if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days, sleep is the most important post-ride element.

Ability Level: Can I Ride This Tour?

Definition of Ability Levels

= Intermediate (2/3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 1 to 3 times a week for a total of 50 or more miles.
= Upper Intermediate (3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 2 to 4 times a week for a total of 75 or more miles.
= Advanced (3/4) Rides and/or takes spin classes 3 to 5 times a week for a total of 100 or more miles. Has ridden multi-day tours and done a century ride.
= Expert (4) Rides 4 or more times per week totaling 150 or more miles. Rides E.F.I. with regularity. Has done numerous multi-day tours, century rides and races.

How Fit do I Have to Be? If one month prior to the tour, you can ride 2 to 3 times a week, equaling a total of 75 or more miles a week, you'll do just fine. We like to jokingly say that "one is ready for a Lizard Head Cycling Tour when they are finished with the tour" and this is true! The only way to simulate a week-long bike tour is to go on a week-long bike tour.

Our average rider age is 55 years. These are bike tours, not races, so we take our time to stop, take pictures and see the sights. We have all day to reach our destination and most riders take "bumps" at some point. We offer reduced mileage options for each day. Of course, if someone wants to ride E.F.I. (Every Freaking Inch), we love to show them all the extra climbs, loops and hidden canyons that can be included!

Do the Bump! Daily mileage options allow cyclists of varying abilities to enjoy this tour. One of our favorite options is to give cyclists a "bump" via the support vehicle, or a 10 to 20-mile lift down the road representing an hour of pedal time. After the bump, the rider is "off the front" and riding at his or her own pace without feeling they are being left behind the group. They'll then have time to linger and take in the spectacular scenery. All cyclists come together in time for lunch. Afterward, cyclists can take another bump and/or continue riding.

Seamless Mileage Options. Lizard Head Cycling Guides designs multiple mileage options for each tour – something we're well known for in our business. This technique is similar to heliskiing in that one does not ski everything, they ski the best. 🙂

Slow or Fast? Many cyclists who sign up for our tours have worried themselves silly about not being able to keep up, but then they're surprised to find that all the worrying was about nothing. They do just fine! Slow and Fast only exist relative to other cyclists. Speed does not matter as long as one is moving on the bike. As long as one is moving, they are truly going fast enough.

Questions? If you have questions about your ability to ride this tour, please contact our office via email or call us at 970.728.5891, we will be more than happy to guide you!

Please also see this blog post for more information.

Overall Route Map

Below is an example of the daily routes for this tour, which are subject to change based on season, available accommodations, road closures, and other factors. The actual routes will be made available to registered participants before their tour, so please view these routes as a general outline of what to expect.

Vermont Gravel Tour: Itinerary*

*PLEASE NOTE: Tour itineraries are subject to change and modification based on the group, available accommodations, road construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, landslides and/or other acts of nature. Also, the distances and elevation profiles shown below may not reflect the actual distances and elevations while on tour as these are provided here to give an idea as to the anticipated mileage and terrain. Please view this itinerary, the distances, and elevation profiles as a general outline of what to expect while on this tour.

Day 0: Arrival in Burlington, VT

Fly into Burlington, VT and enjoy some time on the shores of Lake Champlain. This is where the tour will start, and at the end of the tour there will be a shuttle back to Burlington. If arrving the day before the start of the trip, explore Church Street, a famous shopping pedestrian-only street, get a scoop at Ben and Jerry’s, and catch a sunset down by the lake.

If driving to the tour, cars can be left at the starting hotel, with that information being included in your confirmation documents.

Day 1: Joe’s Pond to Burke
28 miles with up to 2,100 feet of climbing

We start our Vermont gravel tour with picking everyone up in Burlington before hitting the road. We will shuttle to the small Vermont town of Danville, VT, where we will start our journey next to a small lake called Joe’s Pond. Along the way, we will pass through Montpelier, the state capital, and may even catch a glimpse of the capital building. Once everyone is set up on their bikes, we will cycle out on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, a gentle start to our gravel adventure. We ride the rail trail for a little while, before heading north to our final destination of East Burke, VT. Along the way, we will pass the Great Vermont Corn Maze, before arriving at a local Inn where we will spend the next three nights.

Day 2: Burke Mountain
31 miles with up to 3,400 feet of climbing
EFI Option: 44 miles with up to 4,800 feet of climbing

Today we delve into the depths of true NEK (Northeasst Kingdom), with small towns and cedar swamps as our only company. We leave from East Burke and head around Burke Mountain, a well known ski mountain. Passing through the town of Granby, VT, is the gravesite of two of Robert’s Rangers, who were killed by wolves when tracking a wounded moose. While the wolves no longer call this area home, keep your eyes peeled for any moose in the area!

Burke is best known for its extensive trail networks for mountain biking, better known as Kingdom Trails. If mountain biking is another two wheeled hobby of yours, this day or day 3 would be good options to rent a mountain bike and go explore some local trails.

EFI Option:

Day 3: Lake Willoughby
39 miles with up to 3,950 feet of climbing
EFI Option: 48 miles with up to 5,200 feet of climbing
Shorter Option: 32 miles with up to 3,200 feet of climbing

After another restful night in Burke, we head north now to another classic NEK landmark. This day brings us to Lake Willoughby, the deepest lake in Vermont, at 328 feet deep. We ride along its shores until we roll up to the general store, and get some time on the beach. After some lake time, we head back south, stopping at another small lake, called Newark Pond, before returning to our lodging for the last night in Burke.

EFI Option:

Shorter Option:

Day 4: Burke to Greensboro
31 miles with up to 3,300 feet of climbing

Today marks a move out of Burke, to the small town of Greensboro, VT. As we pedal along, we will have a chance to stop at the Museum of Everyday Life, a landmark in the NEK. This is an independantly run museum that strives to theatrically display the unglamorous experience of daily life in all its different forms. As we climb into Greensboro, we pass the infamous Hill Farmstead Brewery, a locally renowned brewery that has won some prestigious awards. Before getting to our next hotel, we will have the opportunity to climb Barr Hill, the namesake of a local gin that is made in Vermont. The end of the day marks our arrival at the Highland Lodge, a B & B inn that sits with a beautiful view of Caspian Lake.

Day 5: Glover-Albany Loop
36 miles with up to 4,000 feet of climbing
EFI Option: 43 miles and 4,500 feet of climbing

This loop passes through several small Vermont villages, starting with Craftsbury, home of Sterling College and the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. As you cycle past the outdoor center, you may even see folks training for nordic skiing, and where in the winter, many of our US olympians in Nordic have trained and lived. We follow that up with Albany and Glover, going right by the Parker Pie Company, home to the best pies and beer around. On the way back to our lodging, folks will have a chance to head down to Long Pond, a completely undeveloped lake that is home to loons, osprey and bald eagles. If the days weather proves warm, upon returning to Highland Lodge we can take advantage of their private beach on Caspain Lake and go for a swim. This marks our final night on our NEK adventure, with one more fun ride planned for the last day.

EFI Option:

Day 6: To Morrisville
21 miles with up to 1,200 feet of climbing

This marks our departure from the NEK, heading back into central Vermont and more urban civilization. We will pass by Caspian Lake one more time on our way out of town, before reconnected with another section of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. This will take us to the town of Morrisville, where we will end our ride at one of their local breweries. This marks the end of our gravel ride in Vermont, with a shuttle back to Burlington, VT, just in time to catch another wonderful Lake Champlain sunset!

Vermont Gravel Tour: Logistics & FAQs

General Tour & Cancellation Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all of our tour and cancellation policies, which can be found by clicking here.

Travel Insurance

If you have not already, now would be a great time to consider adding travel insurance to your tour. You are welcome to use any travel insurance company you would like. We recommend Generali/Trip Mate.

American Guests - use this link: http://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/get-a-quote.html?partner=LIZA0855

• The Premium Plan is the only plan which offers Pre-Existing coverage so long as the plan is purchased prior to Final Payment.
• The Premium Plan is the only plan that offers an optional Cancel For Any Reason - the policy must be purchased within 24 hours of initial trip deposit, the full trip cost must be insured, and if they cancel for Any Reason, it must be 48 hours prior to departure, and the reimbursement for an Any Reason claim is 60% of pre-paid, insured, non-refundable trip cost.
• Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-874-2442 for coverage questions and policy modifications or to purchase by phone. Agency Code: LIZA0855

Canadian Guests - use this link: https://tripmate.catravelins.ca/?utm_source=lizardhead