Kingdom State Forest & VT-102

Vermont's most remote loop: from Island Pond you ride VT-114 north through the woods to Norton, on the border, continue east to Canaan, run down VT-102 along the Connecticut River through Lemington and Bloomfield, and come back on VT-105 to Island Pond. It's 67 miles of forest, river and little else, with easy bends and light traffic. Fuel up in Island Pond, because there are no services between Canaan and VT-105. Watch for moose, and don't cross into Canada or New Hampshire.

Island Pond grew up around the railroad: in 1853 the two halves of the Grand Trunk line between Montreal and Portland met here, roughly halfway, and the village became a rail town with a roundhouse and shops. It takes its name from the lake beside it, which has a small island that the state bought for conservation in 2024. From there VT-114 runs north through state forest toward Norton, on the Canadian border, and it's one of the roads where moose are seen most often in Vermont, especially at dawn and dusk.

On the eastern leg, VT-102 follows the Connecticut River along the New Hampshire line. At Lemington the Columbia Covered Bridge, a Howe truss built in 1912 after the previous bridge burned, crosses the river into Columbia, New Hampshire; the towns on both sides still share its upkeep. Stay on the Vermont side for this loop. Fuel up in Island Pond before you leave, because between Canaan and VT-105 there are no services.