New England’s Longest Rail Trail — That Connects 18 Towns Over 93 Miles — Just Reopened

New England’s longest rail trail is now open, allowing travelers in Vermont to walk, bike, and even horseback ride across the state.

The opening of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail was delayed due to flooding, according to the Associated Press, but now stretches for 93 miles, connecting 18 different towns. And the trail is open year-round, allowing for winter activities like snowshoeing, cross country skiing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling, according to the Vermont Agency of Transportation.

Along the way, travelers will come across quintessential New England sights like the Fisher Covered Bridge and historic railroad station buildings. And it’s wheelchair-accessible thanks to low grades and a 10-foot-wide compact, crushed stone surface.

“I have ridden rail trails in 48 of the 50 states. And this is right up in the top with some of the most amazing ones,” Marianne Borowski, the founder of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail, told the AP. “It drips with New England charm… It’s just so Vermont, it’s so beautiful. It’s got forests and fields and farms and rivers and streams and wetlands and, you know, rail cuts and cows — I mean it’s just got everything.”

The trail, which the AP reported runs on a rail line originally completed in 1877, was initially set to open last year (with Vermont’s Gov. Phil Scott even planning to ride the trail from end to end), but plans were delayed due to flooding. Mother nature hasn’t let up and recent flooding means sections of the trail are still closed, but most of it is open to visitors and there are posted detours for some damaged areas.

Beyond the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, Vermont boasts three other four-season rail trails across the state, including the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. The second largest, that trail runs for 26.4 miles through villages, farms, forests, and fields in Franklin County.