Lake Champlain and distant Adirondacks seen from the Burlington, Vermont waterfront — 📷 Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0

Vermont · United States

Cycling in Burlington

Best season: May–October

Burlington’s signature ride is the Island Line Trail — a 14.4-mile rail-trail that starts as the paved Burlington Greenway hugging Lake Champlain and then does something no other trail in New England does: it runs straight out onto the water. From Airport Park the route follows the Colchester Causeway, a marble-cut railway berm on crushed stone that carries you a few miles into the open lake, Adirondacks off one shoulder and the Green Mountains off the other. The riding is flat and family-friendly the whole way.

The causeway has a 200-foot gap called “the Cut,” where Local Motion runs a seasonal bike ferry across to the Lake Champlain Islands. It sails weekends from late May, daily from late June through Labor Day, then weekends again into mid-October, so the full lake crossing is a summer-and-shoulder-season affair — worth timing your trip around.

Downtown makes a genuinely bike-friendly base. Hotel Vermont lends guests complimentary, locally made Budnitz bikes first-come, first-served (roughly two hours at a time), and the waterfront Hotel Champlain (Curio Collection by Hilton) is reported to put out guest bikes a block from the path. For anything longer or specialized, Local Motion rents e-bikes, kids’ bikes, and even adaptive trikes right on the trail at 1 Steele Street, while North Star Sports a few blocks up on Main Street rents hybrids from $30 and e-bikes from $55 with helmet, lock, and lights included.

Come between May and October: the hotel loaner fleets and the bike ferry are seasonal, summer weekdays leave the causeway blissfully quiet, and late-September foliage over the lake is the reason many riders plan the trip at all.

Weather in Burlington

Live · NWS

Loading current conditions…

Typical by month

avg high/low · 1991–2020 normals · BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Jan 29° 13° 2.1"
Feb 32° 14° 1.8"
Mar 41° 24° 2.2"
Apr 55° 36° 3.1"
May 69° 48° 3.8"
Jun 78° 57° 4.3"
Jul 82° 62° 4.1"
Aug 81° 61° 3.5"
Sep 73° 53° 3.7"
Oct 59° 42° 3.8"
Nov 46° 32° 2.7"
Dec 35° 21° 2.5"

Bike-friendly hotels

We earn a commission if you book through the links below, at no extra cost to you. It's how this guide stays free.

Free guest bikes Call to confirm

Hotel Champlain Burlington, Curio Collection by Hilton

Waterfront hotel one block from Waterfront Park and the Burlington Bike Path, reported to offer guests complimentary bikes first-come, first-served for exploring the Lake Champlain shoreline.

Before you book: The free-bike amenity is guide/aggregator-sourced (the official Hilton page could not be loaded) — confirm bikes are free, fleet size, season, and helmet/lock/waiver policy before relying on it.

Check rates ↗

Bike program reported via source (2026-07-12)

Free guest bikes Verified

Hotel Vermont

Downtown Burlington boutique hotel lending guests complimentary, locally made Budnitz bikes on a first-come, first-served basis (up to ~2 hours each) — a short roll to the Island Line Trail along Lake Champlain.

Before you book: Confirm the loaner program runs in 2026, fleet size and whether helmets are provided (site notes locks are the guest's responsibility), plus any waiver or deposit.

Check rates ↗

Bike program verified via source (2026-07-12)

Where to rent or borrow a bike

Rental shop Verified

Local Motion Trailside Rentals

Rates by phone · waiver required

Nonprofit rental at 1 Steele Street, directly on the Island Line Trail, renting sporty and relaxed adult bikes, pedal-assist e-bikes (18+, or 16-17 with guardian), kids' bikes, trailers, and adaptive trikes and a wheelchair tandem; no after-hours return, bikes back by 6pm. Proceeds fund walk/bike advocacy.

Call ahead: Prices are shown only as an image on the site and season dates aren't listed — confirm rates and operating dates by phone (802-861-2700). Waiver required for riders under 18.

Details ↗

Verified via source (2026-07-12)