Bike Tours from the Mt. Philo Inn
The Mt. Philo Inn is a unique hotel near some of the best road biking routes in Vermont. Our 3 bedroom suites are a welcome retreat after a long ride. Bike friendly roads converge at Mt. Philo, with minimal traffic and continuously picturesque landscapes. Vermont's largest tour companies, Sojourn Bicycle Tours and Vermont Bicycle Tours (VBT) are based within a few miles of the Inn. Our road was chosen for the 2019 ECCC (Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference) championship race.
Mt. Philo Road is one of Vermont's most popular biking routes, with hundreds of bikers passing our door on summer weekends. From the Inn easier tours go North and South along Lake Champlain, harder routes go East up the mountains toward the App Gap and Lincoln Gap
Mt. Philo Hill Climb-(Hard) For training or a quick workout we suggest climbing Mt. Philo. A winding paved road, directly adjacent to the Inn, climbs 600 feet to the summit of Mt. Philo, which offers a panoramic view of the Champlain Valley. Though only 1.5 miles to the top, this climb provides a challenge to the strongest riders. The 2010 NCAA Northeast division championships, pictured to the right, concluded a series of Spear St./Mt. Philo Rd. loops with an exciting final climb up Mt. Philo.
Charlotte Town Trail (Easy)- Hop on the trail, just 1/2 mile away, near the intersection of State Park Rd. and Rt 7. At the end go south on Greenbush Rd. then right on Thompson’s Point Rd.
Greenbush Road-->Lake Road --> Mt. Philo Road Loop. (Easy) Beginning at the inn, this 20 mile loop include some rolling climbs and a long section along Lake Champlain.
Mt. Philo Road --> Spear St. --> Falls Road Loop. (Moderate) Also around 20 miles, This loop is more challenging with additional climbing.
Burlington's Waterfront Bike Path (Easy) a 7.6 mile recreational route that runs along Lake Champlain from the southern end of Burlington at Oakledge Park to the northern end at the Winooski River, where it connects via the newly constructed (spring 2004) bike path bridge to the Colchester Bike Path. The Bike Path rides along the Lake Champlain shoreline, offering wonderful views of the lake and the Adirondack Mountains to the west. The bike path links six major waterfront parks, along with the Burlington High School and the central Waterfront district.
Kingsland Bay (easy)The back route through Monkton Village increases the challenge. Requires a 2 mile ride on Rt. 7.
App Gap (Very hard) Adventurous? Try a 3 gap day going south from the App Gap on Rt 17
Shoreham (easy riding, long ride) Follow the lake south for a long flat adventure along the water and the huge apple orchards of the southern Lake Champlain Valley
Vermont is justly deserving of its role as a special bicycling vacation destination. For those who have the time and stamina, there is a 350 mile route around Lake Champlain which has been mapped and described by Lake Champlain Bikeways.And there are also a number of lesser challenges that offer exercise and beautiful countryside.
Great riding experiences are available to all levels of bikers beginning at the Mt. Philo Inn. Routes that loop along Lake Champlain as well as climbs up the toughest mountain passes are within reach. We are situated along one of the most popular biking routes in Vermont, due to our great views, newly tarred roads, and low traffic.
Bike Rental:
Little City Cycles 10 N. Main St (across from Kennedy Brothers) 802-877-3000
Local Motion Burlington (802) 652-2453
Skirack Main St. Burlington (802) 658-3313