The D&H Trail Ride
Castleton, VT to New York and Back
📅 Sunday, March 29
🕘 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
We had our first meetup, came up with a list of ride options, and then we voted.
The final result is the D&H Trail from Castleton, Vermont to New York and back.
This will be a relaxed rail trail ride with a lunch stop in Poultney on the return ride.
If this is your first time joining us for a ride, you should make yourself familiar with what it means to join us and also you must have read and signed our 2026 rider waiver:
START HERE:
https://vermontbicycleclub.com/2021/03/26/joiningus/
Ride Snapshot
Ride Start Location
Vermont State University Castleton Campus
Calvin Coolidge Library parking lot
RSVP is at the bottom of the page.
The form may not load in emails, so be sure to visit this post on the website:
https://vermontbicycleclub.com/2026/03/10/vtbadvsoc-trip-1
Optional Carpool Meetup
Vermont Bicycle Shop at 8:30 – 8:45
Ride Date
Sunday, March 29
Ride Time
Wheels roll at 11:00 AM from Vermont State University Castleton Campus at the Calvin Coolidge Library parking lot
Surface
Rail trail
Pace
No-drop, party pace
Food Stop
Lunch in Poultney
Before You Join
If this is your first time joining us for a ride, you should make yourself familiar with what it means to join us and you must have read and signed our 2026 rider waiver.
Start here:
https://vermontbicycleclub.com/2021/03/26/joiningus/
Important Notes
Flooding
There is significant potential for flooding to continue or to cause damage in Vermont over the next month. We will be monitoring this closely, and we may need to cancel the ride due to any number of logistical reasons that stem from this.
Transportation
Concerning carpooling, we love to minimize our driving footprint as much as we can.
Those that wish to carpool should reach out ahead of time to let us know you will be meeting up with us at the bike shop. If we do not know you are meeting up to carpool, you may not have a seat or you may get left behind.
If you are able to transport more than you and your bicycle and would be interested in helping with carpooling, please let us know.
Weather
We will keep a close eye on the weather as well.
In the event that weather is not lining up to make for a pleasant ride we may need to cancel the ride. We will probably not be interested in riding if it is 40 degrees and raining, or if there is snow on the trail.
Basically, if anything would turn this into an unpleasant ride, then we will either opt for a closer alternative if possible, or we will cancel the ride.
That is just spring in Vermont.
Ride Culture
Our rides are no-drop, being together takes priority. This means we are interested in slowing down or stopping to regroup often, and we will take breaks. A lot of our rides will be at a party pace instead of a fitness pace.
It is OK to ride ahead, you just might have to wait longer at an intersection.
We also aim to shift away from the established social systems within the cycling world. Our rides are meant to maximize an equitable inclusiveness; participants are asked to create space for individuals; especially black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), women, queer folks, and those from marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds to feel safe, supported, and confident, ensuring the best possible experience for all.
Ride Day Schedule
8:30 to 8:45 AM
Optional carpool meetup at Vermont Bicycle Shop. Load bikes and organize rides.
Make sure we know you are coming so we save you a seat and don’t leave without you.
9:00 AM
Carpool departs Vermont Bicycle Shop.
10:45 AM
Arrive at Vermont State University Castleton Campus and meet at the back of the Calvin Coolidge Library parking lot.
11:00 AM
Wheels roll southbound on the D&H Trail.
12:30 PM
Lunch stop in Poultney on the return trip.
2:00 PM
Return to the cars and load up.
4:00 PM
Arrive back at Vermont Bicycle Shop.
The Ride
For those that wish to carpool, the day will begin at Vermont Bicycle Shop at 8:30 AM. Make sure we know you are coming so we save you a seat and do not leave without you.
We will depart Vermont Bicycle Shop at or before 9:00 AM.
We will drive to Vermont State University Castleton Campus, where we will meet at the back of the Calvin Coolidge Library parking lot.
We expect to arrive at around 10:45 AM. We will unload bikes and wait for others to arrive with the goal that wheels roll at 11:00 AM.
We will ride the rail trail south to the New York State line passing through Poultney.
On the way back we will plan to stop for lunch at a restaurant in Poultney.
After lunch we will continue our return trip on the rail trail back to Castleton.
We expect to be back at the cars at around 2:00 PM. After loading up we expect to be back at Vermont Bicycle Shop before 4:00 PM.
E-Bike Rules and Vermont Rail Trails
Based on Vermont State Park regulations, electric bicycles are permitted on the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Rail Trail, which includes the Castleton section. While generally allowed they must follow non-motorized rules. Some local municipalities or local and regional land managers have interpreted this to mean that throttles must be disabled and not used while on the trail.
Out of an abundance of respect to those communities we ask that bicycles with throttles have their throttles disabled or removed for this ride unless otherwise noted by ADA as a Mobility Assisted Device.
Also, bicycles with a throttle are not covered by Vermont Bicycle Shop auto insurance policies and cannot be transported on Vermont Bicycle Shop owned vehicles.
It is up to individuals to determine eligibility to carry e-bikes that have a throttle.
Reach out and let us know if you have any questions or if we missed any details.
Here’s a link to the route:
The RSVP form below may not load or work properly in your email, if that happens visit this post on the website:
https://vermontbicycleclub.com/2026/03/10/vtbadvsoc-trip-1