Northshire Area Trail Systems directory

Northshire Area Trail Systems (NATS) is a local trail organization and chapter of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) dedicated to developing, maintaining, and improving mountain bike and multi-use trails in the Manchester–Dorset region of southern Vermont. The organization grew out of a local community of mountain biking enthusiasts and has played a central role in expanding opportunities for purpose-built singletrack riding throughout the Northshire.

NATS works with local municipalities, private landowners, schools, and public land managers to create sustainable trail systems while expanding public recreational access. Its projects include the Humphreys and Bunker trails in Dorset, the Dorset Hollow Trail on Green Mountain National Forest land, and the extensive Raptor Lane Trails in Dorset. NATS has also been involved in trail development and stewardship in the broader Manchester area.

A significant aspect of NATS's work is its partnership-based approach to trail development. The organization has worked with the Town of Dorset on the Raptor Lane property, with the U.S. Forest Service on the Dorset Hollow Trail, and with private landowners to establish and maintain trails on privately owned land. Its work therefore encompasses both community trail systems and more extensive mountain terrain, ranging from accessible beginner and intermediate trails to challenging technical singletrack.

NATS is a volunteer-supported organization, with trail stewardship, maintenance, construction, and community involvement forming an important part of its mission. It encourages riders and other trail users to support the organization through membership, donations, and participation in the local trail community. Current trail information and conditions are published through NATS, while its maintained trails are mapped on Trailforks.

NATS is part of VMBA's statewide network of local trail organizations, contributing to Vermont's broader mountain biking community and helping connect the Manchester and Dorset area with neighboring trail systems across southern Vermont.