Hiking in Mud Season

Mud Season Reminder
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A reminder that spring mud season runs from snowmelt until the trails are dry, usually around Memorial Day weekend. With some extra warm days in late March this year, mud season conditions have certainly arrived in many parts of the state. We ask all hikers to please stay off high-elevation trails, and any other trails with significant mud, in order to avoid erosion and damage to the vegetation.

Depending on conditions, State Forest trails may be closed by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, so please respect closure signs and avoid wet trails even if it is not posted closed. If you encounter a muddy section of trail, please turn around and find a dry trail. 

Some roads and trails are usable in mud season, especially low elevation trails with southern exposure, which dry out faster. Conditions are subject to change, but these are the local hikes we recommend in our area: Mile-Around Woods, the trail around Lake Shaftsbury, or the Morgan Wetlands. Also, you can check this link from the Green Mountain Club headquarters with other suggestions for hiking in mud season: www.greenmountainclub.org/hiking/day-hikes-spring/

We’re asking for your help, especially this year as trails are busier than ever and we’re all itching to get outside: can you spread the word about mud season and protecting high-elevation trails in your communities? Together we can protect the hiking trails we all love and have a great hiking season!

To find out more about mud season and how to find trail closures: www.greenmountainclub.org/press-releases/