Mud Season
Persistent rains can quickly turn Vermont’s trails into long, muddy trenches any month of the year. This is especially true in early March and April, when snowmelt, rain, and freeze-thaw cycles last for weeks. Whatever your favorite trail-based activity, help protect our trails and outdoor spaces: wait until trails dry out before using them. Check with the umbrella organizations, including GMC, VMBA, VASA, and the Vermont Horse Council for more detailed recommendations for specific user types.
Each spring, the Green Mountain Club and Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) closes some trails during mud season, including hiking trails on Mount Mansfield and Camel’s Hump. GMC will work closely with FPR to update the hiking public on official mud season trail closures throughout mud season, which typically lasts through Memorial Day weekend. Check for GMC updates here.
Mud Season Hiker Trail Etiquette
Know when to turn back. Mud is not a durable surface, and continued foot traffic will both create a mess for summer and cause long-term trail damage. If you encounter impassable mud, turn back and choose alternative activities.
Vermont has about 8,000 miles of dirt roads, including many to trailheads, which also become muddy and rutted out during mud season for similar reasons. Just as with trail use, car traffic makes driving conditions worse for residents or those who must use dirt roads. Avoid driving on muddy dirt roads if you can during mud season.
If you do encounter mud and cannot turn back, walk through the puddle instead of around it. Walking around causes vegetation damage and more mud. Stick to the trail.
Durable footwear is a must, especially in wetter conditions. Wear waterproof boots, preferably with rubber soles for better footing. Gaiters are a nice add-on, as they help keep water, dirt, mud, and snow out of your boots. At higher elevations where snow and ice linger, you may still need Microspikes or snowshoes.
Whether you’re hiking, mountain biking, or otherwise, be sure to check trail conditions ahead of time. Visit Forest, Parks, & Recreation for a list of open and closed trails; join the GMC Facebook Group for real-time feedback on conditions; or call GMC’s virtual Visitor Center at (802) 244-7037
Are you a trail manager who needs to get the word out about mud season etiquette?
Help spread the word about Mud Season trail etiquette.
- Post “trail closed during mud season” signs at trail heads. Get as specific as you can: which trails during which dates? Be sure to put your logo, a website, and any other resources your trail organization uses so people can easily check for updates.
- Post updates on Front Porch Forum about trail conditions and closures.
- Use the social media tiles below. Right click, ‘save as’, and use on your social media posts. Consider also including the text on the photo in the caption for accessibility. Photos and text are courtesy of the Green Mountain Club; please tag or mention them @greenmountainclub.
- Put a notice in the local paper: help the public understand why using trails during mud season results in long-term, costly damage. Volunteers and funding are hard to come by – help every trail user be a good steward.
Help Spread the Word about Mud Season
Download the tiles (right click and ‘save as’ below) and share on your social media.
Thank you to GMC for sharing content and images
