Monday, November 28, 2016

Lamoille Valley Rail Trail - Cambridge to Morrisville

Official Cambridge starting point on the LVRT.
Over two afternoons, a couple weekends apart, my husband and I completed a 17 mile section of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT). This trail, when completed, will stretch 90+ miles across Vermont and link many small communities.

We had to check out the nearby covered bridge!
A couple miles east of where we parked our vehicle is the official Cambridge Jct., now a wonderfully designed parking area with maps, bathrooms, a caboose style covered picnic area, and a kid-friendly train that houses a slide, sand box, tunnels, and a place to pull the rope to ring the bell.


Step inside the caboose and choose a picnic table!


What a brilliant user friendly train! I had to ring the bell. The smooth gravel trail runs beside the train.

There was still a bit of autumn color as we made our way toward Johnson, turnaround point on the first day's ride.

Unlike the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail that frequently crosses a highway, The LVRT is more rural, passing farms, beside a lumber mill, over small bridges, across fields, over quiet dirt roads, through woods - distinctly altogether a different feel as the trail follows the Lamoille River. I can imagine riding during peak foliage, in the hot summer, taking breaks to cool off in the easily accessed river, or using the trail for a bike overnight.

The brewery provides bike racks or you can store your bike beside the outdoor beer garden in the warmer months..
On our second outing we stumbled across the trail side Lost Nation Brewery and split a pint, just because we could! The brewery, which also serves food, could easily be a destination in itself for a well deserved break before heading back to Cambridge.

An interesting slop roofed bridge.
Each community has a similar depot, bike racks, and map, unifying the trail and lending a unique flavor. I can't wait to ride the Danville to St. Johnsbury segment, which I imagine is just as nice.

6 comments:

  1. rail trail, train playground AND a brewery! sign me up.

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  2. Nice photos. Thanks for sharing. Beautiful trail.

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  3. Looks very nice and a brewery is icing on the cake.

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    1. My husband and were very surprised and thrilled that Lost Nation Brewery was trail side. He'd heard about this place but didn't know it's location until we rode up beside it. You can bet we'll be back!

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  4. The trail is really nice, I agree. I had a chance to ride a short part of it in September and I had a much better weather than you did :)

    Too bad I missed the brewery but I continued north, reaching Lake Willoughby for the night: http://bostonbybike.blogspot.com/2016/09/visiting-vermont-13.html

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    1. I read some of your VT trip account. Glad to see you explored much of northern VT.

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