Logistics

This page will be updated as new information comes to light! If you have any questions you think we've missed, reach out to rarchamplainvalley@gmail.com or reach out in the RAR NAR Discord Group.

We want you to be comfortable and for your needs to be met. Let us know what we can do to provide you the best experience!
Last updated 6/11/25

Location & Time

This event will be held the midday Friday, August 29th until midday Monday, September 1st (Labor Day). The property will open at 10am on Friday and we ask that you wrap up and head home by 2pm on Monday. While we encourage participants to come all four days if possible, we still welcome you to register if you are only able to make it for part of the time.

RAR NAR will be held at Camp DREAM in Fairfield, VT. Camp DREAM is a rural, mostly undeveloped 50 acre property with basic facilities including rugged hiking paths, a main lodge, outdoor pavilion, amphitheater, rustic cabins, a bathhouse and a beautiful waterfront. Indoor/ bunk and camping options will both be available for participants! Please note, there will no cell service on site and limited wifi in a single building at RAR NAR. Come prepared to be unplugged!

We ask that this is a pet-free event, although if you need to bring your service animal, please reach out to rar.champlainvalley@gmail.com.

Travel & Parking

Camp DREAM Address: 1618 Taylor Rd, East Fairfield, VT 05448

You likely won’t have service here, so download your map ahead of time. You will turn onto Wintergreen Mountain Rd at the blue Camp DREAM sign and then at the fork with the large RAR NAR sign, keep left towards registration. You’ve arrived!

For folks who are looking to coordinate travel to/from RAR NAR, check out our Travel Coordination Spreadsheet! You can use this as a tool to help coordinate carpools, pickups from the train station, group rides to the site, etc.

Arriving by Train (good option for folks NOT bringing a bike- limited bike spots available on this train!)

The Vermonter Amtrak Line runs from Washington D.C. to St. Albans, VT with stops in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City; New Haven, CT; Northampton, MA; White River Junction, VT; and more! LIMITED carry on bicycle options are available at all stops, and checked bicycle service is available at select stations. We encourage you to look into this option if you are near a station, and book train tickets early, as bicycle spaces will fill up on a holiday weekend.

If you are planning on taking the train, we recommend traveling to RAR NAR on Thursday, August 28th because the train does not arrive in St. Albans until around 9 pm daily. From there, it is a 30 mile bike-ride (or car ride) to Camp DREAM. Contact us if you need to arrive to Camp DREAM early as a result of the train schedule.

If the St. Albans train is sold out, you could also look into the Ethan Allen Express line which runs from NYC to Burlington, VT (a 1 hours drive from RAR NAR). This route runs directly north from NYC through Albany, NY and Rutland, VT among other stops. There are lots of ways to arrive at RAR NAR!

Arriving by Bike:

We have pre-scouted routes from Burlington and St. Albans to Camp DREAM! These, along with our group rides, can all be found in our Ride with GPS collection. If you live elsewhere in the state or in the Northeast, you are welcome to plan your own route to arrive to Camp DREAM by bike!

Arriving by Car:

Due to limited parking at our RAR NAR property this year, we’re inviting everyone to start the weekend with a little adventure! Plan on driving to drop off gear at the retreat property first and then you will need to move your car to a nearby park & ride and either bike back or accept a lift back from one of our shuttles. If you choose to shuttle, there will be people at registration ready to help you with that.

Please check out our parking logistics doc for more info! Check out our Ride with GPS collection to see suggested routes to ride back from each parking location if you are planning on doing that. If you need it, here’s a RWGPS Help Guide.

If you have an accessibility need or particular reason that having a car on site would make you feel more comfortable, let us know! We can work out a roadside parking spot for you walking distance to the retreat.

Lodging & Bathrooms

We are pleased to be able to offer two types of lodging for participants this year! Both indoor/ semi-indoor spaces as well as outdoor camping will be available as two different ticket prices.

Camping: There is ample tent camping/ hammock camping available onsite down a fairly rugged hiking path. This lodging option is included in the price of tickets ($150 for BIPOC and/or trans folks, $175 for General Admission). Please note, the trail to the camping field is not easily biked and cannot have a wagon pulled along it so plan accordingly and pack your gear in backpacks/duffels etc.

Indoor/ semi-indoor: There are 3 communal bunkhouses (2 semi-enclosed lean-tos with bunk beds and two indoor cabins with bunk beds) available as well as a handful of private small cabins for participants who prefer to sleep on a bed. Please keep in mind that this option includes a matress but no bedding so please plan on bringing sheets and a sleeping bag or blankets as well as a pillow yourself!

When you purchase your ticket, you can select if you'd like to purchase one that includes indoor lodging. It is an additional cost of $50 for BIPOC/ Trans ticket holders and $75 for the GA ticket.

Toilets and showers: There are flush toilets, composting toilets, and porta potties spread around the property. There are limited showers but you are welcome to use those as well this year! You also can use a refreshing lakeside dip to clean up if you like!

There is no electricity in the bathhouse, but there is electricity at the lodge.

Food

What We'll Provide:

We are pleased to offer full meals for all participants and volunteers this year. Your RAR NAR ticket includes meals from lunch Friday- lunch Monday. All meals will accommodate our vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free friends and we can accommodate other specific dietary restrictions as requested.
If you need to prep/bring your own food, please let us know ahead of time as there will be very limited fridge space.
Coffee and tea will be available all day long in the main lodge!

What You'll Bring:

Don't forget to bring snacks for on and off the bike!
Bring any additional electrolytes or hydration that you think you'll need.
Bring your favorite coffee mug and water bottle along!

Please reach out with food questions/concerns if you have them to rar.champlainvalley@gmail.com. Last year we ran a fully nut-free event which we can accommodate again if we have severe nut allergies! (Although at this point, it is looking like this will not be necessary)

Packing List

BIKE TYPE

There are an almost unlimited amount of gravel roads and trails to explore around this special property. If you have a bike you can bring, definitely do so! A gravel bike or mountain bike will be best.
If you don't have a bike or travel logistics are too complicated for you to bring one, you will be totally fine! This is an optional way to explore this part of Vermont, but there will be plenty of sit-down workshops to attend not on the bike.
There are a limited number of basic mountain bikes from Camp DREAM available to us for use during the retreat. Please reach out if you would like to borrow one!

POWER/ELECTRONICS

Come with your gadgets fully charged, and please plan on bringing battery packs, external chargers, and charging cords for devices you may need throughout the retreat. There will be limited charging and WiFi available at the lodge, but with 100+ people onsite you should plan for an off-grid experience.
Keep in mind that the retreat location is a remote and there is essentially no cell service on site. You are welcome to tell your loved ones where you are going and give them our email address rar.champlainvalley@gmail.com in case they need to contact you throughout the weekend. We are committed to checking this inbox periodically while you are blissed out with your new best friends.

PACKING LIST

See below for a printable checklist of RAR NAR Packing Recommendations!
Feel free to bring a yoga mat, art supplies, instruments, games/activities, or anything else that will help you relax, connect with others, and have fun in your down time.

If you have questions about what will be available to you during the weekend, or how best to pack, we are here to answer your questions! Email us at rar.champlainvalley@gmail.com.

Group Rides

GROUP RIDE INFO

We lead optional group rides throughout the retreat to allow you to explore this beautiful part of Vermont more fully! If you cannot travel with a bike, you will be 100% fine, though! These are optional and there are loads of off-the-bike workshops throughout the weekend, boating and swimming to do, napping in hammocks, etc.

If you are joining us for a ride, you can check out the routes at our Ride with GPS collection. If you need it, here’s a RWGPS Help Guide.

Friday group ride: 14mi, 1000ft of climbing (approx 2 hrs)

Saturday group ride: 16mi, 1200ft of climbing (approx 3 hrs)

Sunday group ride: 20mi, 1500ft of climbing (approx 3 hrs)

We heard feedback last year that our routes could have been more accessible so we have designed rides this year that will be much more approachable for folks of all skill levels!

Accessibility

This retreat will be hosted mostly outdoors on a hilly and rugged property. There are hiking trails with many rocks/roots between the main eating/workshop space and the lodging. All camping space and some of the shared semi-indoor lodging space is only accessible via these rough trails. If you hve mobility limitations, we would be happy to comp you a indoor housing space that is along the road, please reach out ahead of time so we can make sure this happens! Some of the lodging is more than a 10 minute walk from the workshop area. The lodge and bathhouse is handicapped accessible. All indoor/ semi-indoor lodging options have a few small steps to enter into the structure.

Please e-mail rarchamplainvalley@gmail.com if you have any additional accessibility questions or concerns.