Killington Trail Report: The Beast of the East Lives Up to the Hype (for Beginners, Too!)
Killington. It’s almost a mythical legend in the mountain biking community. So much so that even as a newbie, people have uttered the name to me in passing: “If you’re going to Vermont, you have to go to Killington.”
Or, at another bike park not far down the road, “You have to ride Killington, it’s like this place, but so much more awesome.” (Literally, an employee at another bike park said that.)
So after a few days riding Stratton Mountain, I set my sights on a true holy grail of the downhill biking community. And man, is it all that and a bag of chips. To read about my amazing adventure at Stratton Mountain, click here!
As always, I bring you my perspective as a beginner/intermediate mountain biker with less than a year of experience. At 47, my primary goal is not to break any bones—and I’m proud to say I achieved that goal at Killington! I’m also happy to report: Killington Mountain biking is world famous and world class for a reason. Even if its not known as a beginner mountain biking area!
Table of Contents
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A Much-Needed Break: Back to Boondocking in Green Mountain National Forest
After a few days at Stratton, I took a much-needed break to relax (and blog—always blogging!) in the Green Mountain National Forest.
I took a pretty decent fall on a black technical trail at Stratton that I maybe should have skipped. It left my hand (and ego?) severely bruised and in pain. It also increased my fear factor a notch.
Hey, I’m still a beginner, and crushed bones scare me! Luckily, I had on my chest protection, or it would have been multiple cracked ribs and game, set, match for more than a hot minute.
But check out this amazing campsite. GPS Coordinates: 43.75168, -72.90042. It had a small brook running next to it, was big enough for Jack Karavan.
It was also adjacent to some hiking trails that Odie and I ran a few times. I didn’t see a soul for several days. It was absolute nirvana.
There are a number of dispersed campsites available in this general area so if this exact one isn’t available there are some backups!
On to Killington: The Mountain That Whispers "Send It," but Respects Your "Maybe Later".
Killington is not an easy mountain. Indeed, many of the blue trails are blue tech trails, and even the third “easiest” blue has a section where I walked my bike. Now, I maybe could have made it, but I had already lost momentum and there was a dude standing there, and it was just awkward at that point. So, be mindful, this mountain is not for the faint of heart!
However, the rides are long, and the beginner and early intermediate trails—while challenging—are definitely doable. You may end up riding the same run multiple times, but I guarantee you won’t get bored.
Killington also gets a higher beginner-friendly rating from me because of the professional instructors available.
This was the best instructional staff I have encountered. Period. And I can’t say that enough. As a dive instructor and ski instructor, I take quality of instruction seriously.
Suffice it to say, Killington is massive. It covers nearly 2,000 feet of vertical drop across multiple lifts and three distinct mountain biking areas. But the great thing is, it truly has something for everybody! From beginners to advanced riders, you will find some heart-pumping action at “The Beast of the East.”
Killington Beginner/Intermediate Quick Stats & Rating
Green Trails: 11 trails, mostly on the Snowshed Express Quad
- Blue Trails: 15 trails, accessible from all three lifts
- Ty’s Beginner Friendly Rating: 6/10
- Van Life Score: 10/10
- Must-Ride Trail: Step-It-Up
- Best Season to Visit: Summer to early Fall
- Loam Pass / IMBA Epic: Loam Pass (2 days + 3rd day discount)
- Dog-Friendly: Yes (with restrictions on trails during operating hours)
- Trail Conditions Today: Click Here For Current Conditions.
My Rides and Trip Report
Make no mistake. “The Beast of the East” is a challenging mountain. The beginner trails are few and not super exciting. The first intermediate trail (and my favorite ride) Step-It-Up is just that, a step up. But like a real step up. Like one you encounter on a hiking trai and think – “that’s a pretty big step who built this trail anyway??” But this is a good park for a beginner who is starting to level up and wants to start seeing what’s out there. Also – it helps if you are willing to ride the same rides a number of times. Below is my ride summary!
The Greens.
I rode several green trails, including Easy Street, Roller, and Wiggle. They were fun and fine—great beginner runs, if maybe a little boring after a while. I would note that there are a fair amount of small rocks on several of the runs, which made for a slightly looser surface at times, but nothing you can’t competently handle as a beginner. Just be aware of it to prevent wash out.
My Favorite Run: Step It Up.
Okay, so I was told this is probably the easiest intermediate run on the mountain, but I just loved it. It was a perfectblue ride, and I have to admit, I rode it like four times. Per Day…
Pre-ride, re-ride, free-ride became more free-ride and more free-ride. What can I say – if you find something you love you might as well enjoy it while you can. But seriously…
It was fun, it was flowy, and the berms were big and the blue line through them was well-defined. You felt secure and comfy knowing you had some margin of error on those big berms, and the jumps were fairly easy with an option to add a few side hits that upped the spice level!
Close Runner Up: Blue Magic.
An amazing jump line. 50+ jumps. Yep. 50 jumps! Each one having its own personality. I rode Blue Magic at least four times…
And I wish I could go back and ride this adrenaline-inducing, fast-paced line again and again. As you start to learn the jumps, you can hit them with a little more speed and a little more pop.
There are some fun angles, but you always feel safe. One note: There is one double jump that I found (you will see it on your pre-ride), and if you don’t clear the first in good shape, you will get bucked on the second. Truth is the only reason this didn’t get my favorite ride is: (1) 50 Jumps is a lot for anyone to handle on one ride, and (2) the jumps are not insignificant in size and complexity (a few are lippy and there is a double). So this ride is an elevation from Step-It-Up and as a beginner/intermediate – you may not be comfortable. Als0. There is a local cultural. While this is an intermediate ride that a is tough for a beginner mountain biker because the jumps are signifiant – the local culture is to fly through this ride and grow some wings. So slowing down may get someone riding your tail. And while you technically have the right-of-way as the downhill ride, the better decision here is to yield the trail as that’s culturally expected on this trail.
My Least Favorite: Upper Rabbit.
Okay, this was a black technical trail. Like most tech trails, I just didn’t find it fun. I went on it with my instructor as a balanced approach, because the truth is, it would be easy to ignore the technical aspect of mountain biking and just focus on the flowy downhill. But I do like riding in natural, ungroomed settings, and having lessons and learning to ride technical terrain is important. I followed my amazing instructor down. And line choice mattered. A lot. Like inches. I don’t think I could have safely navigated this trail on my own as a beginner mountain biker or even as an intermediate.
A Few Other Rides of Note.
The one issue with Killington as a beginner/intermediate – its a tough park. And so my ride options felt limited. I rode about 8-9 trails total. But three of those were beginner and kinda boring. So of the 6 or so trails that were at my level or me pushing my level slightly, I ended up riding many over and over. Here are a few of the other rides worth mentioning:
- Coaster: Fun berms. Fun shape. Lots of speed. Some fun bridges that just look and feel cool, including one or more covered bridges (I forgot because I was having too much fun).
- Krusty: Okay, another technical trail. I’m seeing a pattern here that I just don’t love tech. Here’s the thing: I agree that most of this ride is a blue technical trail. As long as you go slow and don’t try to barrel down it, you will be fine. But there are a few very short sections that, in my humble opinion, are definitely black. Think lots of rocks, weird angles, and just funky stuff. I came. I rode. I said no thank you to Krusty.
- Stinky Skill Zone. This was fun but is really about learning to do a lunge. If you work with a coach you might find yourself here. The launch is forgiving and the sense of accomplishment is outstanding!
A Note on Lessons.
I’ve now had bike lessons in 4 States and 5 different areas. While I really liked my first MTB instructor as a newbie/beginner mountain biker and highly recommend her, coach Tony at Killington was a step above everyone else. And a significant step. Here’s the long and short of it. As a PADI IDC Staff Instructor (i.e. – I help teach the instructors how to be instructors) and a PSIA certified Ski Instructor – I know a thing or two about teaching someone how to do a high risk activity. Good instructional systems are just that: they are systems with progressions where learning skills build on earlier skills in a logical format. There are movement patterns that help that we seek to teach. As a BICP Certified Instructor, Coach Tony knew those. He built a progressive series of lessons where each new movement built on the past movement. It was awesome. It progressed my mountain biking. If you want a referral, please drop me a note in the comments and I’ll introduce you!
The Van Life Experience: A Perfect 10/10.
Amazing. Great. Fantastic. 10 out of 10. First, you are within 30 minutes of great boondocking in the Green Mountain National Forest. Like, really great boondocking.
Where I was, I didn’t see anyone for three days. It was nirvana.
But Killington itself is fantastic for van lifers.
The parking lot is huge, and there is a designated area for van life parking. When I showed up, there was everything from a dude sleeping in the bed of his F-150 to a nice Airstream. There is a dumpster, a porta-potty, and water hoses where you can wash bikes, refill jugs, or grab water for your dogs.
BaseCamp Thousand Trails Strategy: ReFill and ReFresh at Sandy Beach (NH).
After spending over a week out of BaseCamp Thousand Trails, boondocking in Green Mountain National Forest and the Killington parking lot, the wrong tanker were
full and the good tanks were empty! It was time to return to base. About 1.5 hours from Killngton you will find a lovely Trails Colleciton park: Sandy Beach in Contoocook, NH.
While my stay in Sandy Beach was short, it is a lovely park. The lake is Spring fed and oh wow did it feel great on my sore muscles!!! While the park wasn’t amenity rich (first park I’ve been to without a mini golf course – why, whatever will I do??) the beach and lake were great, the staff beyond friendly (one even loaned me a hair dryer to help me defrost my fridge) and the Park had a good vibe!
One downside: there are only two washer/dryers and when I was there one was broken. Also. Coin operated…. Upside of that: if you drive 7 minutes to this quaint little town you can check out four awesome things next to each other: (1) Big washateria with plenty of washer and dryers, (2) the Oldest known wooden railroad bridge still in existence (see pics), (3) a nice waterfall and beach, (4) an amazing pizza place (Riverside Pizza), and bonus (5) a small but decently provisioned grocery store! Just set Google Maps to Riverside Pizza and park next door at the Laundry/Dunkin Donuts and you are within 25 feet of everything you want to see!
Ty’s Takeaways: The Beast is a Beauty
Oh, how I wish I had more time in Killington. Unfortunately, my time here was capped by a need to make a repair to my trusty (?) steed, Jack Karavan. But here are my top takeaways:
- You can ride Killington for a week and not get bored. Seriously. If I had a week, I’d spend a week here.
- Lessons are totally worth it here. Not that I haven’t gotten some good lessons along the way, but this was over-the-top better than everything but my introductory lessons. Maybe I just got the bomb instructor, but I felt like their bike park school was a step above everything else in terms of their standards and professionalism. Ask for Tony and get your money's worth. I'm already trying to figure out how to make it back next season for a few more days of lessons!
- Don't get discouraged by the stats. While there aren't a ton of beginner/intermediate rides, I gave Killington high marks because the trails are long and fun. You can re-ride some of the same trails over and over and not get bored because there are enough features (like side hits) that you can make each ride progressively more challenging.
- Use the lack of beginner/intermediate trails to your beginner advantage. Step-It-Up, for example, has some side hits and drops into berms. You can roll over some of them and skip others entirely. Ride it for progression, where you only hit the easiest ones, then slowly expand your comfort zone. There is one side hit, for example, where you have to land it because you're almost immediately in a berm. I was scared at first, but by day 2 I was launching that every time.
Chasing great mountain biking, camping smart, and living full-time in an RV. Hard-won wisdom. Zero fluff. Live Free. Adventure Often
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Some More Photos!
I always forget to take pictures! I’m so busy creating awesome content for Shifting Gears with Ty that photos are often an afterthought at best or completely neglected. But here are a few more photos of Killington and Green Mountain National Forest!!
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Other New England Adventures.
So. I actually ended up spending longer in PA then I had planned due to a electic issue with Jack. That left me plenty of time to write (more time than I wanted – lol). Here’s some other trail reviews from PA!
Bolton Valley: The Sleeper Mountain That Taught This 47-Year-Old Newbie a Lesson (In Eating Dirt)
Is Bolton Valley Mountain Biking a sleeper mountain or just a tricky design? I explain how small berms and low speed made me eat dirt and why it wasn’t my favorite – despite the park being Van Life friendly.
Thunder Mountain: My Journey to Find Legit Downhill in the Land of Lobstah Rolls
Looking for legit downhill on the East Coast? Ty & Odie hit Thunder Mountain Bike Park in Massachusetts to find out if the “Land of Lobstah Rolls” is hiding a mountain bike mecca. Get a noob’s perspective on the trails, camping, and why this park is the real deal.
Killington Trail Report: The Beast of the East Lives Up to the Hype (for Beginners, Too!)
an a 47-year-old newbie survive Killington Bike Park without breaking a bone? Get the trail report, van life secrets, and what makes “The Beast of the East” a surprisingly good time.
Boondocking & Beginner Mountain Biking at Stratton Mountain, VT
Thinking about a van life trip to Vermont? Join me as I navigate boondocking in Green Mountain National Forest and tackle the trails at Stratton Mountain Resort. This is my honest take on the trails for a beginner mountain biker, the unique Vermont culture, and whether the lessons were worth
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A Little Bit About Me.
I started writing this blog as a way to capture the adventurous and free lifestyle I’m privileged to live. I’ve traveled to over 28 countries and 35 U.S States. I’ve lived aboard in multiple countries and averaged over 100 days a year of travel for work. I’ve skied and hiked all over the world – and my new obsession is mountain biking.
What I bring to you isn’t AI generated. It’s based on my feet on the ground – or sometimes conversations with locals. Click here to read more about me! And, for a State-By-State guide of Where I’ve been and Where I’m headed, make sure to check out my Itinerary and Destination Page by clicking here!!!
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