Mud Season Hiking 101

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Yuck!
It's time for our yearly PSA: Please, stay off muddy trails during mud season! Conditions are variable this time of year: dry in places, snow and mud in others. Respect trail closure signs, and turn around if you encounter muddy conditions. 


Suggested Hikes:

 NW Vermont

 NE Vermont

 SW Vermont
West River trail Mt. Tom, Woodstock 

SE Vermont
  • Harriman Trail
  • Mt Ascutney State Park parkway (after mid-April when ice is melted) Parkway is 3.7 miles to an elevation of 2,800 ft near the summit. Gorgeous views of VT to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. 
  • West River trail (near Jamaica)- 2 mile section of the 16 mile West River Trial starts at the park entrance, also universally accessible.
  • Mt. Tom (Woodstock)

For the uninitiated: What is mud season, anyway?

It certainly feels like spring outside ... (or maybe even summer), which means it must also be mud season in Vermont. At the end of winter, snow-melt and rain make many trails wet and muddy. Higher elevations take longer to try out, and these conditions can last until the end of May. Walking on or around the mud causes soil erosion and damages the surrounding vegetation. 
Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail

Please help protect fragile trails by respecting trail closure signs, and turning around if the trail you’re on becomes muddy. Green Mountain Club has more advice on mud season hiking. 

More advice:

Try looking at the positive- everyone loves the high peaks of the Greens, but mud season is a great time to explore spots you just might not get to the rest of the year. 

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