August 12, 2024 - VPR

This new trail network is the first in Vermont that's fully accessible to adaptive mountain bikes.

August 7, 2024 - Vermont Sports

From the newly minted trail network The Driving Range to a proposed new trail network at Sugarbush, there’s a move to make mountain bike trails accessible to all riders.

December 20, 2023 - American Hiking Society

Through their Two For The Trails Grant Program, Athletic Brewing Co. is putting environmental stewardship at the heart of everything they do (and brew!), donating up to $2MM annually to protect the outdoor spaces we love to hike and explore.

As a recipient of a Two for the Trails Grant, RMT was featured in this article about the impact of this grant program.

October 2, 2023 - Adventure Cycling

Adapt and Overcome

In 2020, I went for a mountain bike group ride in one of Vermont’s town forests. Greg Durso, an adaptive rider on a mountain trike, was on the ride. I didn’t know what that would mean; I had never ridden with an adaptive rider. Durso is paralyzed from the chest down and as adventurous as anyone I know. …

Written by Berne Broudy

August 11, 2023 - Video of News Coverage by NBC5

Vermont's first network of adaptive built trails set to open this month

"The Driving Range" is the first of its kind project in the state looking to open access to world of adaptive sports.

Reporting by Adrain Pastor for NBC5

June 14, 2023 - Bicycling.com

First-Ever Adaptive Mountain Bike Trail Network in Vermont Open Accessibility for All Users

THE FULLY ADAPTIVE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL NETWORK MAKES SHREDDING FUN FOR EVERYONE.

by Micah Ling

June 2, 2023 - gearjunkie.com

Build It and They Will Ride: New Adaptive MTB Trails Open Up the Sport

A new trail system in Vermont highlights how new approaches to trail building are helping spur the growth of adaptive riding.

By Anneka Williams

December 12, 2022 - goeast.ems.com

The Driving Range: Teeing Off Adaptive Mountain Biking in Vermont

by Tim Pack and Doug Martland

Clearing a tricky rock garden, railing a berm, and boosting a double are just a few of the seemingly endless ways that mountain biking brings joy to riders—and the feeling is only heightened when riding in the presence of friends. Unfortunately, mountain biking isn’t as accessible to all riders as it should be. Enter the Driving Range: a network of purpose-built, adaptive-ready trails being built by Richmond Mountain Trails (RMT) in Bolton, Vermont, to ensure that this experience is available for “everyBODY.”

December 21, 2022

ICYMI! Suncommon put together this beautiful video about the work this season at the Driving Range. The Grant they awarded us in 2021 was the very first funding for this project and we are so grateful for their support.

November 20, 2022

We’re on the news! Watch coverage of the new network on local news station WCAX.

November 29. 2022

Richmond Mountain Trails is now a recipient for donations through Stan’s Connection.

When customers register their Stan’s wheelsets, Stan’s will donate $10 to the recipient of their choice. RMT is now on the list!

As a new recipient, RMT will be featured at the top of Stan’s Stories this week.

Read the blog post about us here!

May 19, 2022

Dear Landowners. Your generosity makes our trails and the joy of riding in Richmond possible. We are Sharing Heartfelt words of Gratitude from our members.

December 3, 2021

Vermont Biz reported on the announcement of our new planned trail network in Bolton, VT!

Richmond Mountain Trails to announce new trail system with support from SunCommon

Vermont Business Magazine As the 2021 mountain bike season comes to an end, the Vermont Mountain Bike Association has just announced the recipients of their annual naming grants, highlighting some of the new trails we can expect to see in 2022. One of these naming grants is going to Richmond Mountain Trails (RMT) to launch a new trail network, “The Driving Range”, located off route 2 in Bolton. The network is named for the driving range that was once at the base of the property. The grant is provided by local solar installer SunCommon, covering roughly half of the anticipated costs of the first uphill and first downhill on the property.

Summarized in the grant proposal prepared by RMT, the goals of this trail build are to anchor the new network and to set a new standard of inclusive trail building in Vermont by making the trails adaptive-cyclist friendly. While there are over 1000 miles of single track bike trails in Vermont, on the very large majority of those trails, bridges are too narrow, and trails are not wide enough or contain obstacles making them inaccessible to riders on adaptive bikes.

“We are thrilled to work with SunCommon to develop an adaptive-friendly trail network at the Driving Range,” said Berne Broudy, RMT board member. “The trails will be fun for riders used to the challenges of Perry Hill and Cochrans, but also welcoming to adaptive riders. We hope the network will be a model for other trails organizations both in Vermont and nationally.”

Richmond and Waterbury, Vermont trails have seen exponential growth in traffic in the past several years, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, trail use has again increased. By expanding the trail network to Bolton, RMT hopes to give riders more options. The new network will also be a link in the Velomont Trail, a length-of-Vermont multiuse trail that is currently under construction.

In building trails on the Driving Range, RMT will also demonstrate how trails can exist cooperatively and collaboratively with agricultural uses of the land. The Driving Range is part of a commercial sugaring operation.

Learn more at Richmond Mountain Trails’ facebook page or on Instgram @richmondmountaintrails.

About Richmond Mountain Trails
Richmond Mountain Trails is a 501-c-3 non-profit trails organization and a chapter of Vermont Mountain Bike Association. Support our efforts by joining VMBA, and choosing Richmond Mountain Trails as a one of your chapters. We also welcome direct donations.

About SunCommon
SunCommon, a division of iSun, is a market solution to climate change with a purpose beyond profit. As Vermont’s largest solar provider and a NYSERDA Quality Installer in the Hudson Valley and Capital Region of New York, we believe that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and brighter future – and renewable energy is where it starts. SunCommon is a Certified B Corp based on a rigorous third party assessment of our commitment to the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. Our 160 employees are passionate about our valuesled business. Our mission is to tear down barriers to clean energy and use our business as a force for good. For more information, go to www.suncommon.com and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @suncommon

Source: Richmond, VT -- SunCommon