Scenic Bike Routes: Montpelier Loop, Vermont

Downtown Montpelier, Vermont.Yes, it's winter in the northeastern United States. And it's been a rough season thus far. As with our previous post, we wanted to give our readers in New England something to look forward to come spring. We've chosen a beautiful, 76-mile ride through the center of Vermont, beginning and ending in the state capital of Montpelier. 

This is a ride you could complete in about 90 minutes if you just opened the throttle and rode for the sake of doing so. We hope you won't do that. Instead, take it slow and enjoy the beautiful Vermont countryside. This ride is New England at its finest. It is a treasure that every biker should experience at least once.

Riding the Route

As long as you are starting and ending in Montpelier, it might be a good idea to spend a day or two exploring the city. Locate Berlin St. on the south side of town to begin your journey. Berlin St. runs along the southern banks of the Winooski River. Take Berlin St. east out of town; it will turn south before becoming the Paine Turnpike. Follow the Turnpike until you reach Rt. 62, where you will turn left.

Rt. 62 takes you into the quiet little town of Barre, Vermont. Follow 62 until it ends at Rt. 302 (Washington Street). Turn right on 302, then right again on Rt. 14 heading south. This road will take you through the outskirts of Barre and into the Vermont countryside. You'll follow Rt. 14 through Williamstown, through the western edge of Ainsworth State Park, and through a number of little hamlets.

About 30 miles down the road Rt. 14 connects with Rt. 107 E.; make a right on 107. You'll cross Interstate 89 on your way to Bethel, where 107 becomes Rt. 12. Stay on 12 through Bethel; it will turn north to take you all the way back to Montpelier. Along the way, you will also pass through Randolph, Northfield, and a few quiet little hamlets.

Scenery and Road Conditions

The road from Montpelier to Barre is nothing that jumps out at you, but be prepared for some excellent scenery for the rest of this ride. As we said earlier, this loop is New England at its finest. You'll be treated to quiet two-lane roads, a number of historic covered bridges, lots of forested lands, plenty of rolling hills, and houses and roadside shops dating back to the earliest days of American history.

The road conditions are adequate to excellent most of the way. Some of the two-lane roads can be  narrow at times and, for most of the journey, you won't be able to see more than a mile or so ahead because of the many turns. You may run into some broken pavement in more remote areas as well, so keep a sharp eye. Overall, the road conditions do not pose any big challenge.

The fact that you will be passing through so many small towns and hamlets means there are plenty of roadside amenities to take advantage of. No need to be too concerned about having a full tank of fuel when you leave Montpelier. There's also no need to take your lunch with you; there are lots of fantastic little restaurants to choose from along the way.

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