THE DETAILS OF KILLINGTON BIKE PARK.
Nestled in the heart of Vermont, Killington Bike Park is located in the middle of the Green mountains. With access to Albany, NY, in two hours, or Hartford, CT and Boston, MA in three hours, Killington is remote but very much worth travelling for. 1,972ft of vertical drop with a wide variety of terrain within the bike park zone ensures a solid fix of gravity.
Killington boasts three lifts accessing three main trail zones, helping to minimize lift lines and ensure riders are able to ride their preferred terrain over and over. The Snowshed Express Quad serves the lower trails, with the majority of more family-friendly runs with lesser gradient and the grin-inducing flow. The Ramshead Express Quad accesses some more advanced trails, but also has some longer groomed flow trails that wind their way down this area. And for riders seeking the largest elevation drop and access to some of the rock-littered tech that Killington is famous for, the K-1 Express Gondola gets you all the way to the summit at over 4,200ft. The interconnected network of trails offers endless possibilities for your route down the mountain, offering a sense of adventure that can be lacking at other bike parks.
KILLINGTON BIKE PARK TRAIL OFFERINGS
Killington’s mountain bike trails have been on the mountain since way back in 1991, and over the last 34 years they’ve been developed and refined extensively. Killington’s trail network now caters to mountain bikers of all abilities, from tentative beginners through to seasoned pros. With a fine mixture of flow and tech, Killington Bike Park offers something for every rider to enjoy.
Beginner-Friendly Flow Trails (Green): Accessed off the Snowshed Express Quad, trails like Easy Street and Roller provide a perfect introduction to downhill mountain biking, with wide, smooth berms and gentle gradients that anyone can enjoy.
Intermediate Progression Trails (Blue): Serving to offer increased challenge for beginner riders while offering a fun warm up run for even the most advanced, the wide selection of blue trails at Killington Bike Park are a fun time. Our highlights were Side Show Bob and Jump Start, both packed with well-shaped berms and tabletop jumps, with versatile rollers which offered optional gaps for advanced riders.
Advanced And Expert Trails (Black and Double Black Diamond): It wouldn’t be an East Coast Bike Park without its fix of rocky, chunky tech. With technical root sections that demand precision and commitment thrown into the mix, Killington’s advanced tech trails accessed off the K-1 Express Gondola are a true test of skill and bike handling. These were a good time for Robert on his Pivot Phoenix downhill bike, but Cole’s Pivot Firebird proved to be an even better tool to unlock extra speed from the flatter chunky trail sections.
For riders looking to log serious airtime, the Black Magic jump line is a must-hit. And for riders looking to be the next Aaron Gwin, the Goat Skull downhill trail as featured in the Fox US Open opens up the ability to dial in line choice and commitment through root-littered rock gardens and with some big hits along the way.
KILLINGTON BIKE PARK FACILITIES
A unique feature to Killington is their Resort App, which offers real time lift and trail reports; connection with your friends riding that day, and even logs your stats by linking to your pass so you can relive how many runs you’ve enjoyed at the park.
In the center of the park, just a stone’s throw from the Snowshed Express lift, the Snowshed Base Lodge houses a bike shop with a huge rental fleet. Within the 150+ mountain bike offering, there are 20” and 24” wheel full suspension bikes to get young rippers their Killington Bike Park fix, and a wide selection of enduro and downhill bikes available.
The bikepark has a large coaching program which caters for the full spectrum of riding abilities. Beginner riders can become familiar with mountain biking for the first time, whereas more advanced riders can be taught key techniques to push their riding to the next level.
LODGING OPTIONS AROUND KILLINGTON BIKE PARK
Killington has a range of accommodation options to suit different budgets and tastes. We checked out two spots situated very close to the trails, which offered two distinct characters that both provided a comfortable place for some down time and shut eye in between the riding.
The Killington Grand Hotel offers excellent bike-in, bike-out accommodation for mountain bikers. Its prime location at the base of Killington Resort means direct access to the park, with a secure Bike Check ensuring your ride stays safe while you relax. The amenities like the fitness center and hot tubs are great for recovery after a day on the trails, and the rooms were roomy and luxurious.
For a more casual accommodation setting with a killer breakfast buffet included, the Mountain Inn offered a simple and relaxed atmosphere. Hosting two nights of the weekly Killington Mountain Bike Club Bike Bum race series, the Mountain Inn is a great social hub with modest yet comfortable rooms.
For riders with their own hotel on wheels, Killington is unique in offering extensive camping spaces free of charge near the Snowshed Lodge. It was awesome to see a selection of campers making use of this facility on their visit to the bike park.
DINING OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
There’s a range of breakfast options in Killington if you don’t make use of the Mountain Inn’s tasty breakfast buffet. A particular highlight for us was the Sunup Bakery, which offered a solid coffee and some delicious breakfast food.
Lunchtime feeds were enjoyed from two spots on the resort: the Snowshed Base Lodge dining area at the bottom; and the Peak Lodge restaurant at the top of the K-1 Express Gondola. Though inclement weather prevented us from enjoying the Peak Lodge’s view to the fullest, it didn’t dampen our food experience, with a nutritious meal giving us the energy to hit the trails. Not to forget our feed at the Clubhouse Grill following our embarrassment on the golf course, which reinstated some feelings of joy to that otherwise frustrating morning.
We thoroughly enjoyed a couple of meals at Killington Grand Hotel’s excellent Preston restaurant, which has a menu packed with farm-to-plate dishes. The restaurant at the Mountain Inn was great too, with the spirits distilled on site giving a warm buzz to reward a day well spent on the trails. Sushi Yoshi’s Sushi Boat was light work for our hungry crew, but provided no lack of quality.
OFF-BIKE ACTIVITIES
Killington’s offerings for time spent off the mountain bike are strong, giving some entertainment for the rest days as well as offering fun activities for family members who aren’t sampling the bike trails.
Sure to please the whole family, the scenic gondola rides get people up to the top of the K-1 Gondola to explore at the mountain top and take in the stunning panoramic views of the Green Mountains. For those looking for a little off-bike adrenaline, the Snowshed Adventure Center has a host of activities including zip lines, a mountain coaster, and a ropes course, offering fun for the whole family.
We had to check out the Killington Golf Course, with the beautiful fairways tempting us to pick up a set of clubs and hit some balls into the woods. The course had no lack of challenge and made for a stunning morning outside, but our skills certainly didn’t do the courses’ build and maintenance any justice.
The Wolf’s Last Word
During our time revisiting Killington Bike Park, we were provided with a wide variety of conditions from beaming sunshine through to thick fog and heavy rain. While we would always wish for sun, it gave us a true taste of the East Coast climate, and allowed us to sample the trails through the spectrum of dirt conditions. One thing is for sure: in the wet the slippery roots on the tech trails increase the challenge, but don’t reduce the amount of fun that the trails can provide.
Somewhat unique to the East Coast, the chunky black and double black tech will test even the best riders to maintain their composure. We loved trying to interpret the miles of difficult rocks and roots, and pick smooth lines to maintain speed and flow on trails like Scarecrow. A downhill bike offers the most comfort for the extended rough sections, but Cole’s Pivot Firebird was the choice tool for this job.
Increasing speeds on Goat Skull and the bigger hits of Black Magic allowed the Pivot Phoenix downhill bike to come into its element. Opening the taps and letting the bike charge, these runs were grin inducing and allow plentiful room for progression even for advanced level riders. And with series like the Fox US Open coming to town, it’s not just us who considers Killington a worthy resort to host the fastest downhill riders.
Not forgetting the less extreme flow trails, where riders of all abilities can come to get their fix of gravity-induced smiles. We thoroughly enjoyed some of the flowier jump lines, built wide enough to even allow for some side-by-side action at times and ensuring a perfect playground to work on progressing jump skills or just to enjoy some well-crafted rollers and berms.
With the vast array of amenities and elements like the on-site free camping, Killington has a lot to offer for mountain bikers and non-riders alike. A perfect spot to take the family for a mountain getaway, or to get a group of riding buddies together to hammer out the laps and work on some progression, we had a blast returning to the Beast Of The East, and look forward to seeing how it continues to evolve. 
Lift Ticket Price:
Starting at $68 | Adult
Starting at $52 | Youth (17 & Under)
Website: Killington.com
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