Since 2000, high school English teacher Chris Dussault has taken kids mountain biking. He’s seen how much they benefit from being physically active outdoors, through both riding and trail building.

A man and a youth smile while out riding mountain bikes, with Vermont landscape in background.
Chris Dussault (right) helped found Caledonia Trail Collaborative to develop and manage local trails in the St. Johnsbury area and Hilltopper MTB, program that gets kids involved in mountain biking and trail building. With funding from the Center for a trail expansion, kids in St. Johnsbury can now ride local trails in the town forest without leaving town.

That’s why, in 2017, he and some other folks established Caledonia Trail Collaborative (CTC) to develop and manage local trails in the St. Johnsbury area. Then in 2021, they created Hilltopper MTB, a mountain biking program with a racing component run through a partnership between St. Johnsbury Academy and St. Johnsbury Recreation. Hilltopper MTB draws student athletes from a diverse group of schools in grades 5 – 12.

“The grant the Center gave CTC to expand the trails in the St. Johnsbury Town Forest has been a game changer,” said Chris. “Now we can host some of our practices right here in St. Johnsbury instead of traveling to other towns.” The 97-acre Town Forest features several miles of hiking and biking trails and is located within walking distance of downtown.

“These trails are accessible by bike for anyone within the village of St. Johnsbury,” said Chris. “This means that kids can enjoy trails in the Town Forest without relying on an adult to ferry them out of town.”

Of the nearly 50 kids who participated in 2025, some raced in one or even two leagues while others had their very first opportunity to ride a mountain bike. In addition to basic skills, they learned how to respect the forest and other trail users – one of the key tenets of the Center’s Ride With Gratitude program.

That ethic shines when scores of young people from three youth programs volunteer every year to help CTC build new trail. “Kids just light up when they work on trails,” said Chris. “The creativity of helping to build trails really stokes them. CTC and Hilltopper MTB are about engaging young people in the process of being part of a trail community.”

Their time in the woods, building and riding trails, is helping the kids see a future in the Green Mountain state. “I’ve heard some say they want to make Vermont their home, and I know these experiences are a big part of that,” said Chris.

A youth mountain biking group stops to take a break in the woods.