# NYC to Montréal: Vermont Champlain Islands Upgrade Variant **The Premier Scenic Route: Essex Ferry, Burlington Greenway, Colchester Causeway & Champlain Islands** *Widely celebrated as the most spectacular cycling in the entire American Northeast. Replaces the hilly NY Adirondack coastline with a ferry cruise to Vermont, a night in vibrant Burlington, and miles of car-free riding on a historic marble railway causeway extending into the open waters of Lake Champlain.* --- ## Executive Summary & Route Overview | Metric | New York Baseline Route (Plattsburgh) | Vermont Upgrade Variant (Burlington & Islands) | |:---|:---|:---| | **Divergence Point** | Historic Essex, NY (Day 5) | Historic Essex, NY (Day 5) → Ferry to Charlotte, VT | | **Day 5 Finish** | Plattsburgh, NY (~70 mi • +4,000 ft) | **Burlington, VT (~53 mi • +2,200 ft)** | | **Day 6 Finish** | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu or Montréal (~87 mi) | **Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (~58 mi) or Montréal (~95 mi)** | | **Water Crossing** | None (Shoreline bluffs) | **Lake Champlain Ferry (20 min) + Local Motion Bike Ferry** | | **Signature Highlight** | Ausable Chasm & Lake Champlain Bluffs | **3-mile Colchester Causeway into open lake + Church St Marketplace** | | **Scenic Ranking** | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ *(Unanimous cyclist favorite)* | --- ## Why Choose the Vermont Upgrade? 1. **The Charlotte–Essex Ferry (Day 5):** Instead of grinding up and down heavy highway hills into Plattsburgh, you roll onto a historic open-deck ferry in Essex, NY. The 20-minute crossing offers breathtaking 360° panoramas of the Adirondack High Peaks to the west and the Green Mountains to the east. 2. **Burlington Overnight (Day 5):** Burlington is one of America's premier cycling cities. Stay at *Hotel Vermont*, pedal the waterfront bike path, sample fresh artisan pizzas at *American Flatbread*, and watch the sunset over Lake Champlain with fresh local craft sours at *Foam Brewers*. 3. **The Colchester Causeway (Island Line Trail):** Ride 3 miles directly into the open waters of Lake Champlain along a historic 1900 marble railway embankment. You are literally pedaling with open water on both sides and mountains framing the horizon. 4. **The Champlain Islands:** Pedal flat, tranquil country roads through South Hero, Grand Isle, and North Hero surrounded by orchards, roadside cider stands, and historic stone barns. --- ## GPS Navigation Downloads - **GPX Track & Cues:** `nyc_to_montreal_vermont_upgrade.gpx` (Import into Garmin Edge, Wahoo ELEMNT, Hammerhead Karoo, RideWithGPS) - **KML Interactive Map:** `nyc_to_montreal_vermont_upgrade.kml` (Import into Google My Maps) --- ## Detailed Stage Breakdown ### Stage VT-1: Ticonderoga, NY ➔ Charlotte Ferry ➔ Burlington, VT *Adirondack Bluffs, Historic Essex Ferry & Burlington Waterfront Greenway* - **Distance:** ~53.0 miles (85.3 km) • **Climbing:** +2,200 ft - **Route Segments:** - Depart Ticonderoga riding north on NY-22/9N past Port Henry and Westport. - Arrive in **Historic Essex, NY** (Mile 38) for lunch. - **Board the Ferry:** Roll down Main St to the Essex Ferry slip and board the ferry to Charlotte, VT. - **Landing in Vermont:** Disembark in Charlotte, VT. Ride north on quiet country byways through Shelburne (past Shelburne Museum / Shelburne Farms). - Join the paved **Burlington Greenway (Island Line Trail)** at Oakledge Park and follow the waterfront directly into downtown Burlington. - **Surface:** 75% paved two-lane highway with paved shoulders; 5% open-deck ferry; 20% paved car-free greenway. - **Curated Midday Stop (Mile 38):** **Historic Essex, NY** – **The Cup Cafe / Essex Ice Cream Cafe**. Dine on the porch overlooking the ferry slip right before your departure for Vermont! - **Ferry Logistics:** - **Operator:** Lake Champlain Transportation Company (LCT). - **Schedule:** Departures every hour on the hour (e.g., 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, etc.). - **Fare:** ~$6.25 per cyclist (pay at toll booth, cash or card, no advance reservations needed). - **Duration:** 20 scenic minutes across the lake. - **Overnight Lodging in Burlington, VT:** - *Hotel Vermont* (41 Cherry St, Burlington, VT – Phone: 802-651-0080) – Independent boutique hotel, certified bike-friendly, dedicated indoor bike storage, Juniper craft cocktail bar. - *Courtyard Burlington Harbor* (25 Cherry St, Burlington, VT – Phone: 802-864-4700) – Overlooking Lake Champlain and the bike path. - *Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown* (101 Main St – Phone: 802-951-0099). - **Evening Food & Drink:** - *Foam Brewers* (112 Lake St) – World-class craft beers and local cheeses right on the waterfront. - *American Flatbread* (115 St Paul St) – Wood-fired organic sourdough flatbreads and Zero Gravity beers. - *Church Street Marketplace* – Pedestrian cobblestone promenade packed with outdoor cafes. - **Bike Shops:** - *Old Spokes Home* (331 N Winooski Ave, Burlington – Phone: 802-863-4475) – World-famous community bike shop and cycling museum. - *North Star Sports* (100 Main St – Phone: 802-863-3832) – Direct waterfront access. --- ### Stage VT-2: Burlington, VT ➔ Island Line Causeway ➔ Champlain Islands ➔ Saint-Jean, QC *Colchester Causeway into the Open Lake, South Hero Orchards & Canadian Border Crossing* - **Distance:** ~58.0 miles (93.3 km) to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu • **Climbing:** +900 ft - **Route Segments:** - Depart downtown Burlington heading north on the **Burlington Greenway / Island Line Trail**. - Cross the Winooski River footbridge into Colchester. - Ride onto the magnificent **Colchester Causeway**: a 3-mile narrow railway causeway constructed of massive rough-hewn marble blocks jutting out into open Lake Champlain! - **The "Cut" (Bike Ferry):** Take the 200-ft Local Motion Bike Ferry across the navigation channel to South Hero. - Ride north through the pastoral **Champlain Islands** on US-2 and West Shore Road through Grand Isle and North Hero. - **Border Clearance:** Cross from Alburgh, VT into Quebec at the **Noyan / Route 225 Border Station** (or cross the US-2 bridge west into Rouses Point, NY and cross at Lacolle). - Join **QC-223 North** along the tranquil Richelieu River to **Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu** (or push all the way to Montréal for a ~95-mile century day!). - **Surface:** 35% paved rail trail; 10% crushed limestone causeway; 55% flat paved rural island roads (US-2 & QC-223). - **Lunch Stop (Mile 32):** **North Hero, VT** – **Hero's Welcome General Store & Cafe** (3537 US-2). Iconic island general store on a wooden dock overlooking the lake. Artisan sandwiches, fresh cider, homemade apple cider donuts, and nautical bakery treats. - **Critical Bike Ferry Advisory & Fall Bypass:** > [!IMPORTANT] > **Local Motion Island Line Bike Ferry Operating Schedule:** > The bike ferry operates Friday–Sunday & federal holidays through **Indigenous Peoples' Day / Columbus Day weekend (mid-October)**. > > **If the Bike Ferry is NOT Operating:** > Take the scenic, fully paved road bypass: > - From Burlington, ride north on **Route 127** through Colchester to **US-2 West**. > - Cross into the Champlain Islands via the **Sandbar State Park Causeway** directly into South Hero. > - *Impact:* Adds approximately **14 miles**, but remains completely flat and scenic with broad paved highway shoulders across the Sandbar causeway. - **Overnight Lodging in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC:** - *Quality Hotel Centre de Congrès* (725 Boul. du Séminaire N – Phone: +1 450-515-5755). - *Auberge Harris* (576 Rue Champlain – Phone: +1 450-348-4408) – Certified "Bienvenue Cyclistes". - **Final Leg into Montréal (Stage VT-3):** - From Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, follow the flat **Chambly Canal National Historic Site Path** for 37 miles directly into Old Montréal (Place Jacques-Cartier)! --- ## Comparison Summary: Which Route Should You Ride? ```mermaid flowchart TD A["Ticonderoga, NY (Day 4 Overnight)"] --> B["Historic Essex, NY (Lunch Mile 38)"] B -->|"Standard NY Route"| C["Plattsburgh, NY (Day 5 Overnight)"] C -->|"US-9 & Rouses Point"| D["Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC (Day 6)"] B -->|"Ferry Crossing ($6.25)"| E["Burlington, VT (Day 5 Overnight)"] E -->|"Colchester Causeway & Islands"| D D -->|"Chambly Canal Towpath"| F["Place Jacques-Cartier, Old Montréal 🏁"] ``` ### Choose the Vermont Upgrade if: - You want the **absolute best scenery and trail experience** on the East Coast. - You love vibrant college towns, craft breweries, and food culture (Burlington is unmatched). - You want to experience the sensation of pedaling 3 miles straight out into open water on the Colchester Causeway. - You prefer flatter island cycling over the constant rolling hills of the New York highway shoulders. ### Stick with the Standard NY Route if: - You want to visit **Ausable Chasm** (the "Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks"). - You are traveling after mid-October and want to avoid checking bike ferry schedules or riding the Sandbar bypass. - You prefer to stay in one state until reaching the Canadian border.