Sidewinder Details

Activities
- Mountain Bike
- E-Bike
- Winter Fat Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
Riding Area

Kingdom Trails
East Burke, Vermont
Difficulty Rating

Double Black Diamond Rate
Voted Difficulty

Black Diamond (7 votes)
Local Popularity
90 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 90 in E-Biking
- 95 in Trail Running
- 95 in Hiking
Global Ranking
#36 in Mountain Biking [+]
- #2501 in E-Biking
- #610 in Trail Running
- #1448 in Hiking
Trail Type

Singletrack
Bike Type

AM, XC, Fat
Climb Difficulty

Black Diamond
Physical Rating

Extreme
Trail Visibility

Always easy to follow
eBike Allowed

Yes
TTFs on Trail

Berm, Roller Coaster
Land Owner

Kingdom Trail Association

Sidewinder is one of Kingdom Trails’ Top Ten trails in the Trailforks Global Trail Rankings. The ranking is done by an algorithm that takes into account a number of uniform criteria that defines popularity amongst trail users world-wide.

Sidewinder is, arguably, Kingdom Trails’ most iconic trail. This is a must do

It is so beloved that, when access to the trail was threatened, the mountain biking community from around the world came together to save the trail by raising enough money to buy the land on which the trail is.

The approach is quite long and uneventful, but when you get to the business part of Sidewinder, pay attention!

Sidewinder zig-zags down a steep gulley, climbing high up the sides of the gulley with each zig and zag. The key to riding Sidewinder successfully is to stay away from your brakes and to maintain speed down the steep side slopes of the gulley. You will need the momentum to get up the other side! The g-forces generated each time you pull through the bottom of the gulley is legendary! The surface is generally firm but the berms at the top of each turn can get somewhat rutted out at times. Those bermed turns are at a steep incline and can be deceptive, especially if you have lost too much speed approaching them. Be awake!

Once you are done with Sidewinder, you can climb back up to the top at Market Cafe via the switchback trail, West Bench. You may want to do this if you have not yet done Bear Back. Alternatively you can go out on West Branch and back up to the top at Market Cafe via Hogback and Piggyback. Staying on West Branch will take you back to River Run from where you can get back to The Wildflower Inn are via Fox Run or Burrington Bench and Bemis.

Access Info

Sidewinder can be accessed from the Market Café area (the main intersection between Violet's Outback, Hog Back, Old Web's Etc). From the Market Café go northwest on the short doubletrack Hogback / Sidewinder Access, then turn left on Sidewinder, just before Piggy Back and the start of the Hog Back singletrack.

Local Trail Association

Kingdom Trail Association
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trail development & maintenance.
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Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week

28 rides
15 miles average

6 Months

162 rides
15 miles avg distance

All

3,905 rides
Last: Jun 16, 2026

c1	c2	c3	c4
January	February	March	April
May	June	July	August
September	October	November	December

update trails status or condition

Sidewinder Trail Reports

status	date	description
	Apr 24, 2026 @ 2:52pm (America/New_York) Apr 24, 2026	reporter Southwest section of Darling Hill trails are open!
	Apr 18, 2026 @ 11:31am (America/New_York) Apr 18, 2026	reporter The Wildflower Backyard trails are open for the 2026 season! The rest of the network still needs time to dry out, but we will continue to open...
	Oct 31, 2025 @ 9:47pm (America/New_York) Oct 31, 2025	reporter Winter trails will open after Vermont's deer hunting season concludes AND once the ground is frozen. https://www.kingdomtrails.org/Trail-Conditions
	Oct 21, 2025 @ 3:03pm (America/New_York) Oct 21, 2025	Tree down at end of trail. It's in a safe spot, you just have to walk your bike over it.
	Jul 23, 2025 @ 8:59am Jul 23, 2025