New England
Ski Area Mountain Biking
When the snow melts, ski resorts turn their attention to summer fun.
Sunday River in Maine offers
mountain biking. You can ride downhill on your favorite trails on a
mountain bike. Sunday River Mountain Bike Park first opened in 1991,
one of the first New England ski resorts to do so. They closed in
2003, but when new parent company Boyne USA came and later put in a
$7.5 Chondola to North Peak - the hills were alive again with the
sound of bikers, hikers and sightseers. The Chondola, serving bikers
by chair and pedestrians on the gondola, is open Friday -
Sunday 10am - 4pm in summer for rides.
Sunday River has 30 mountain bike trails, over 25 miles, and truly something for every
ability level of rider. The newest trails, Tango and Crash and Not
Trail - a single track for experts under the Chondie. Beginners can
get in gear on the half mile Easy Tiger. More challenging trails include Grease Monkey, Moose Tack,
Tombstone and the Crater Trail which bikers can enjoy with lift
service back up. Sunday River has also developed a
BMX style track with rhythm sections and table tops.
Sunday River downhill mountain bikes rentals and lift tickets for
The Chondola are available at the South Ridge Lodge. Trails and lift
service are open Friday - Sunday 10am - 4pm. Scenic chairlift rides
for those on foot are also offered. Trails are closed Monday -
Thursday. Mountain Biking Season Passes are also available.
Golfers will find top notch 18-hole Championship golf at
Sunday
River Golf Club.
Other New England Ski Resorts
with summer activities:
Wildcat and
Bretton Woods in
New Hampshire both offer high-alpine zip line rides, scenic and
exhilarating all at once.
Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts has a
Mountain Adventure Park with a Kids Zone featuring the new Spider
Web and Rope Adventures as well as a new miniature golf course. For
little kids, the Ponderosa Playground and Bounce House are perfect.
The highlight of Jiminy Peak’s summer park is the Alpine Super Slide
and Mountain Coaster
Smugglers Notch Resort in Vermont is
a family fun zone in summer, with swimming holes, rope swings, and
water parks galore. Smugglers summer day camps for kids are award
winning in winter and summer too. Camp counselors take you kids
hiking, on nature walks, and on adventure ropes courses.
Gunstock Mountain Resort overlooking
Lake Winnipesaukee is a great summer destination. The ski are
transforms into a hiker and bikers playground. You can mountain bike
or mountain board on Gunstock and neighboring Mount Rowe with
fantastic views of the Presidential Range and Mt Washington.
Gunstock NH has a self-guided nature walk, a handicapped accessible
quarter mile walk amongst wetlands. Gunstock resort also offers
summer visitors horseback trail riding kayak and paddleboat rentals,
mountain bike and mountain board rentals, a skate park, mini golf,
and a climbing wall.
Maine
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New Hampshire
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Vermont
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Rockies
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Sun & Sea Travel
All Stories by Heather Burke
All Photography by Greg Burke
